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REMINISCENCES 



War of the Rebellion 

1861 — 1865, 



BVT.-MAJ. JACOB ROEMER, 

BATTERY L. SECOND N. Y. ARTILLERY, and 
THIRTY-FOURTH N. Y. V. V. IND. LT. BATTERY. 



Edited by 



L. A. FURNEY, ^^_, I y 

Late Capt. Forty-fifth U. S. C. T. ^ • 



Published by the 
ESTATE OF JACOB ROEMER, 

Flushing, N. Y. 

1897 



CrW' 



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Copyrighted 1897 

By Estate of Jacob Roemer, 

[All rights reserved] 



PRESS OF THE FLUSHING JOURNAL, 

FLUSHING, L. I 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Life of Major Roemer before and since the War 5 

Introduction (^ 

CHAPTER I. 
Organization. Life at Camp Barry 11 

CHAPTER H. 
Reorganization. Cedar Mountain 28 

CHAPTER HL 
Second Battle of Bull Run 57 

CHAPTER IV. 
Antietam. Fredericksburg 85 

CHAPTER V. 
Fredericksburg to Vicksburg 104 

CHAPTER VI. 
Haynes's Bluff, Jackson and Vicksburg 117 

CHAPTER VII. 
Vicksburg to Knoxville 135 

CHAPTER VIII. 
The Tennessee Campaign. Campbell's Station 149 

CHAPTER IX. 
The Tennessee Campaign. Siege of Knoxville 165 



CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER X. 
Close of Tennessee Campaign. Re-enlistment. Vet- 
eran Furlough 1 75 

CHAPTER XL 
Return from Veteran Furlough. The Wilderness. 

Spottsylvania Court House 192 

CHAPTER XH. 
North Anna River. Cold Harbor. Fort Fletcher. 

Beginning of Siege of Petersburg 210 

CHAPTER XHI. 
Siege of Petersburg Continued. The Hare House. 

Fort Willcox or Battery XVI 223 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Siege of Petersburg Continued. Battle of the 

Petersburg Crater 241 

CHAPTER XV. 
Siege of Petersburg Continued. Aigust ist, 1864 to 

December 3 1ST, 1864 251 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Siege of Petersburg Concluded. Capture and Recap- 
ture OF Fort Stedman. Surrender of Petersburg. 260 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Return from Petersburg to Washington. The Grand 

Review 278 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Homeward Bound. The Battery Mustered out 297 

Appendi.x. Register of Names 309 



A BRIEF SKETCH 



LIFE OF JACOB ROEMER 



Jacob Roemer, Brevet Major, U. S. V., the author of this 
volume was born April 3, 1818, in the village of Wahlheim, 
Greiz Alzey, Hessen Darmstadt. His father died in August 
the same year, and his mother followed her husband in 
March, 1822, when her son was scarcely four years old. 
During the year succeeding her death, the young boy was 
cared for by friends of the family, and was then taken by 
his uncle, Peter Roemer, to live with him. This uncle was 
a well-to-do farmer, living in the village of Dandenheim, 
Greiz Alzey. When the boy was fifteen years old, he was, 
as his uncle used to say, well instructed in all the rudi- 
ments of farming. He also had become acquainted with 
the principles of bee-keeping, tlie budding and grafting of 
trees, and of the proper care and management of horses 
and cattle. He had also learned how to use all the tools 
and imi)lements used by farmers. 

It was now decided that he must learn some trade, and 
that of shoemaking was adopted as being the least expen- 
sive. Accordingly he was apprenticed to the village shoe- 
maker, so that his aunt could see to his washing and mend- 
ing, and also that his share of the interest money derived 
from his father's estate could be saved up against the time 



6 SKETCH OF JACOB ROEMER. 

he should become of ag;e. He was ap])renticed for two and 
one-half years to this shoemaker, under strictly drawn in- 
dentures and a guarantee for good l)ehavior. For his ser- 
vices he was to receive 75 gulden cash, and whatever else 
might be necessary to pay for his clothing, washing, mend- 
ing, etc. 

Having served his apprenticeship, he went to the city of 
Worms, where he worked at his trade until he was twenty. 
He then entered the army as a recruit. He was well fitted 
physically to become a first-class cavalryman. Being fond 
of horses and having been promised speedy promotion to 
the rank of corporal, he was highly elated over his pros- 
pects. But his sister Anna ]Maria, two years older than 
himself, did not like the idea of her brothers becoming a 
soldier, and, with the assistance of a friend, bought his dis- 
charge before he was 21 years old. 

As soon as he was released from military service, he 
planned going on a six years' tour. After completing all 
necessary arrangements, he started in IMay, 1839, with 
about $300 in his pocket, on a trip down the Rhine, visit- 
ing all places of note on the river. Thence he went to Rot- 
terdam, then to London, ami finally to New York, where 
he went to work again at his trade. He was married in 
New York in 1840, and moved to Flushing in 1842, and 
established himself in business. The failure of Dr. Hawkes 
in April, 1843, was a terrible blow to Mr. Roemer, for by it 
he lost $3,500, and was left almost ])enniless. However, 
with 75 cents in the house, he determinctl to continue his 
business. Realizing that rigid economy must now be his 
watchword, during the years 1843, 1844 and 1845 he often 
walked to New York, starting at three or four o'clock in the 
morning so as to be able to buy his stock and take Benj. 
Byrd's stage for Flushing, which left Franklin Square at 
nine o'clock in the mornintr. 



SKETCH OF JACOB ROEMER. 7 

In 1845 he received some $800 from Germany, and by 
the advice of his wife, went at once to New York and paid 
all his debts. He returned to Flushing with $43, of which 
he gave his wife $23. Fie now went on with his business 
clear and unencumbered, and with good credit both in 
Flushing and New York. By the end of the year his busi-' 
ness had increased considerably. 

At that time there were very few English-speaking Ger- 
mans in Flushing, and Mr. Roemer was very often called 
to court to act as interpreter. One day, being very busy, 
he refused to go when Judge Silliman sent for him, and 
then the judge sent an officer with a bench-warrant with 
$25 fine attached. Of course he obeyed this summons, but 
as soon as the court adjourned he went down to the armory 
of the Light Horse Artillery and enlisted. This was on 
September nth, 1845. His certificate of membership is 
now in the possession of one of his children. 

From this time on until the breaking out of the War of 
the Rebellion, ^Mr. Roemer continued to prosper in business 
and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citi- 
zens of Flushing. The story of his life from 1861 to 1865 
is recorded in this volume. At the close of the War the 
Generals under whom he had served wished him to join 
the regular army, and a captain's commission in it was 
offered to him, but he declined, saying that he did not wish 
to play soldier on the drill ground, for he preferred active 
service in the field, yet he thanked them heartily for the 
compliment. He then resumed his place in his shoe store 
among his clerks and workmen after his four long years of 
active service in the field. 

Major Roemerjoined Geo. Huntsman Post, No. 50, Dept. 
N. Y., Grand Army of the Republic, Dec. iith, 1872, and 
became its Commander in 1878, and was re-elected in 1879. 
In the latter year he lost his devoted wife. Sept. 13th, 



Q SKETCH OF JACOB ROEMER. 

1882, he left the Post on transfer, but rejoined it Sept. 8th, 

1883. In 1884 he was elected Post Surgeon, to which pos- 
ition he was regularly re-elected until 1889. In 1890 he 
was elected Post Quartermaster, and was annually re- 
elected until 1894. He was also annually elected a mem- 
ber of the Post Council of Administration horn 18S4 and 
appointed a member of the Bureau of Employment and 
Relief from 1887 up to the time of his death. 

When money was to be raised to erect the Soldiers" Mon- 
ument now standing in the Park, Major Roemer was one of 
the Committee appointed to solicit subscriptions, and was 
one of the most active members of the Committee. He 
was also a member of the Water Commission elected by 
the Village of Flushing to introduce the present system ot 
supplying the Village with water. Twice he was elected 
Town Trustee of Flushing Township. 

In 1889 he was attacked with Bright's disease, but he 
rallied so greatly that it was thought he would fully re- 
cover, but as time went on successive relapses occurred. 
It was not, however, until late in 1895 that he was obliged 
to take to his bed. He rallied several times, and on differ- 
ent occasions regained sufficient strength to go to his store 
and attend to business. About the ist of July, 1896, the 
Major was stricken down by an unusually severe attack, 
and despite all the efforts of his physicians, he grew stead- 
ily worse, and died peacefully and calmly Wednesday even- 
ing, July 15th, 1896. 

Major Roemer was always glad to give aid to needy com- 
rades of the Grand Army, and to extend a helping hand to 
the poor. So he lived and so he died, a noble, self-sacrific- 
ing man. Justice was the law that governed him in all 
thinirs. 



INTRODUCTION 



For a number of years it has been the intention of the 
author of the following pages, Major Jacob Roemer, to 
write out his recollections of the Civil War in which he took 
part during four long years, but it was not until the spring 
of 1895 that he actually began to carry out this intention. 

As he had been repeatedly asked how the "Flushing 
Battery "" came to be organized, it seemed to him but 
proper that a brief history of the organization which event- 
ually became the Flushing Battery should be prepared. 
The material for this was obtained partly from the Major's 
own recollections and partly from a " History of Flushing " 
published about the time of the beginning of the War and 
now long out of print. 

The " F'lushing Guard," the earliest uniformed military 
organization in Flushing, was mustered into the New York 
State Militia, November ist, 1839, as Light Infantry, and 
was attached to the 93d Regiment, N. Y. S. M., as a flank 
company. It made its first public parade with twenty-six 
uniformed men January i6th, 1840. In February, 1843, 
the company was changed from infantry to artillery, and 
in 1845 it was again changed to Light Horse Artillery and 
attached to Storm's famous First Brigade, L. H. A., in 
which it became the leading organization. At that time it 
was commanded by Captain William A. Mitchell, and was 
attached to the 3d Regiment, N. Y. L. H. A., Lieutenant- 
Colonel Charles A. Hamilton commanding. 



lO INTRODICTION. 

Mr. Roemer enlisted as a private in this Battery Septem- 
ber nth, 1845, and was promoted corporal in 1846. At the 
breaking out of the Mexican War its services were tendered 
to the United States Government,' but they were not 
accepted. By 1848 this Battery had attained a state-wide 
reputation in Light Horse Artillery evolutions. Its parades 
called together the most celebrated tacticians in the army, 
who styled it the "incomparable'" and gave it the name of 
" Bragg's Battery," after the hero of Buena Vista. 

In 1849 Corporal Roemer was promoted to Sergeant, and 
in 1 85 1 was made First Sergeant. He was promoted First 
Lieutenant July 26th, 1859. The Battery was at that time 
commanded by Captain Thomas L. Robinson, and was 
attached to the 15th Regiment, 6th Brigade, Second Divis- 
ion, New York State Militia. This organization continued 
until it was superseded by the Flushing Battery in 1861. 
At this point Major Roemer begins his story, and if it shall 
seem to the reader that he is too egotistic, it should be 
borne in mind that the Major is not ^\•riting a history of the 
Civil War, but simply relating his own and the Plushing 
Battery's experiences during their four years of service. 



CHAPTHR 



ORGANIZATION. LIFE AT CAMP TODD AND CAMP BARRY. 

When President Lincoln issued his call for 75,000 men for 
three months on the 15th of April. 1861, the day after 
the surrender of Fort Sumter, the 15th Keg-iment, N. Y. 
S. M., considered the matter of offering their services 
for that period, but they delayed so long- in making- prepara- 
tions for it that before they were read)^ to go the enlistment 
of troops for three months was stopped, and all further 
enlistments were ordered to be for three years, or during- 
the war. This was a decided change. Many would have 
gone readily enough for the shorter period, thinking it 
would be simply a jileasant little vacation. l)ut when the 
longer period was determined upon and the stern realities 
of war loomed up before them with all its possibilities, the 
less enthusiastic backed out. 

Over $8,000 had already been spent in ])urchasing cloth- 
ing, blankets, equi]:)mcnts, etc., for the regiment. This 
sum had lieen laid on the tal)le in cash at a meeting of the 
citizens of Flushing, hehl April 20th, 1861, in the old Flush- 
ing Pavilion, at the corner of Lawrence avenue and Broad- 
way. At the same meeting a further sum of $20,000 had 
been subscribed to be used, if necessary, in equipping the 
regiment for active service in the field. 

Those were times to stir men"s souls, and the patriotism 
displayed at that meeting by Plushing's citizens will never 
be forgotten by those who were present. 



12 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

After receiving the War Department's order relating to 
enlistments, etc., the 15th Regiment was broken up and all 
those belonging to the infantry companies who were will- 
ing to go for three years enlisted in various organizations. 
The greater number of these went to Staten Island and 
joined Sickles's Brigade. The 15th had consisted of five 
companies of infantry and one of artillery. It had had the 
right to elect a colonel, a right it would not have secured if 
the Battery had not been the sixth company. 

A deputation was sent from Staten Island to Flushing to 
try to induce the Battery to join Sickles's Brigade, but the 
Battery, intiuenced chiefly by myself, would not consent to 
do so unless General Sickles should give it a written guar- 
antee or agreement that it should not be changed to any 
other arm, as we wished to remain, what we already were, 
Light Artillery. I had myself already served sixteen years 
in the Light Artillery and did not care to begin learning 
other tactics. The required agreement was not made, and 
with this ended all communication with Sickles's Brigade. 

At this time a number of the prominent citizens of Flush- 
ing met and organized a "Committee of Arrangements," as 
it was called. This Committee included, so far as I can 
remember, the following-named gentlemen: Luther C. 
Carter, Captain Ceorge B. Roe, R. C. Embree, Garret Van 
Sicklen, Fdw. F. Mitchell, Colonel Charles Hamilton, Judge 
MacDonald, Rev. Dr. J. Carpenter Smith, E. A. Fairchild, 
Cai)tain William Prince, G. R. Garretson and Henry 
Clement. The latter was elected Treasurer of the Com- 
mittee. 

This CommiUce met the officers of the Battery (then 
calleil the " Hamilton Light Artillery"), Captain Thomas L. 
Robinson and myself, then First Lieutenant of the Battery, 
and made the following proposition, viz. : That they enlist 
with the men of the Batterv for "three vears or durint-- the 



CAMP TODD. 13 

war,"" as the President's proclamation read. The Committee 
promised us that, if we would organize for service in the 
field, they Avould equip us, furnish us with everything- 
necessary — money, clothing, and rations — and assist us by 
all the means in their power to raise an organization to 
represent Flushing in the field. The Battery ofticers 
accepted the proposition at once, and the Battery was then 
and there named the "Flushing Battery, "' to be so called 
until it was formally accepted by the Government, when, 
of course, some number or letter would be assigned to it 
and by which it would be known in the field. 

A formal petition, signed by Captain Thomas L. Robin- 
son and Lieutenant J. Roemer, requesting permission to 
raise a battery of artillery in Flushing, was at once sent to 
the Secretary of War. The required permission was granted 
by the Secretary in a letter dated July 25th, 1861, and read- 
ing as follows: 

War Department, ) 

Washington, D. C. , July 25, 1861. ) 
Captain Tliovias L. Robinson, Flushing, L. I., X. Y. : 

Sir — The company of Light Artillery which you offer is 
accepted for three years or during the war, provided you 
have it ready for marching orders in thirty days. 

This acceptance is with the distinct understanding that 
this Department will revoke the commissions of all officers 
who may be found incompetent for the proper discharge of 
their duties. 

Vou will promptly advise Adjutant-General Thomas at 
Washington of the date at which your men will be ready 
for mustering and he will detail an officer for that purpose. 

By Order of the Secretary of War. 

[Signed.] James Lesley, Jr., 

Chief Clerk of War Department. 

As soon as the above was received the work of organiz- 
ing was begun in earnest. l"he Committee, in accordance 
with their promise, furnished each man with a fatigue suit 



14 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

of gray clothes, shoes, a blanket, and other necessary 
articles. All who had relatives dependent upon them for 
support were to receive two months" pay in advance. 
Captain Robinson and I each received as a present, a tine 
horse, together with a saddle and a bridle, the whole cost- 
ing over six hundred dollars. All this expense was met by 
loyal and patriotic citizens of Flushing. 

Ground for a camp was selected on an elevation north of 
Myrtle avenue, between Farrington street and Congress 
avenue, in Flushing, on property owned by Thomas Leg- 
gett and rented by Adam Todd for a pasture. The camp 
was named Camp Todd in honor of the latter. This matter 
being settled, we began the work of recruiting. 

Requisition was made upon the proper officers of the 
New York Militia, at the State Arsenal in Xew- York City, 
for camp and garrison equipage. These soon arrived, and 
when the tents were pitched the camp ground assumed the 
appearance of a real camp, and soon became the wonder of 
the surrounding country. 

Recruits came to us from all parts of Long Island, and on 
August 27th, 1 86 1, the first body of recruits was mustered 
into the United States service. After this date recruits came 
in more slowly, as most of the young men who had caught 
the war fever had already joined other organizations.* 

We had in camp two pieces of artillery obtained from our 
old command, and with these we drilled the men in such 



*In the precedins: May. when the gallant 15th Regiment made its 
triumphal march around Long Island, there were 185 names on the Bat- 
tery roll, but. as the men had not been sworn in by a magistrate, they 
could not be held to service, and. at the breaking up of the regiment, 
they left for other places and we were left without men. In like man- 
ner the blankets and the cloth for uniforms that had been ]>rocured for 
the Joth Regiment vanished : in fact, as Charles R. Lincoln remarked 
in the Flushing .Journal, of which he was editor at the time, "every- 
thing pertaining to the 15th Regiment went up like a rocket and came 
down like a stick." 



CAMP TODD. 15 

portions of the artillery drill as were practicable every day 
and always in the presence of numerous spectators from 
the village. To perfect myself in all the details of the drill, 
I purchased a miniature battery, and in com])any with 
Lieutenant Rawolle, each alternating- in command, went 
through the various maneuvers repeatedly. It did not 
take us long to become very familiar with all the technical- 
ities of artillery drill. 

The people of Flushing did not allow their soldiers to 
suffer. Farmers frequently brought them loads of vegeta- 
bles, the residents of the village sent them delicacies of all 
kinds; in fact, everybody thought it a duty to take care of 
them, and right royally was the duty performed. The Fair 
of the Queens County Agricultural Society was held on our 
camp ground while we were still there, and the Battery 
furnished guards for it night and day. When the Fair 
closed all the prize pumpkins, potatoes, and other vegeta- 
bles were left to the "Boys in Blue," and for many days 
they lived in clover. One day, I especially remember, 
there arrived in camp, sent by Mrs. William Hamilton, 
mother of Charles A. Hamilton, with her compliments, two 
huge washbaskets tilled with apple dumplings. That day 
there were a number of visitors in camp. After having 
served the 150 members of the Battery with all the dump- 
lings they wanted, we found there were some left, and 
with these we regaled our visitors. There were many 
other times when the men were remembered by friends of 
the Battery in a similar way. 

The men were provided in this way not only with eata- 
bles, but with other things as well, such as towels, combs, 
brushes, needle-cases fitted up with all necessaries, Bibles, 
prayer-books and other books and pocket-books, besides 
many other small but useful articles. Some of these dona- 
tions I have found recorded in mv diarv. Mrs. Abraham 



l6 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Bloodg-Qod and .Mrs. Kdw. E. Mitchell each gave fifty 
towels. Other names are those of Mrs. Henry Clement, 
Mrs. William Murray and Mrs. E. A. Macdonald. All 
these and many others, whose names I cannot now recall, 
most certainly had the welfare of the soldiers at heart and 
tried to make camp life pleasant and comfortable. 

During the whole of our stay at Camp Todd, drill with 
the guns and in marching went on without cessation. This 
unaccustomed labor so told on me in the beginning that in 
the first twelve days I lost ten pounds in weight. Our 
daily routine was as follows: Reveille at daybreak ; drill 
from 5 to 7 .\. m. ; breakfast at 8; drill, 9-1 1; dinner, 12 m. ; 
drill. 2-4: supper, 6; tattoo, 8; and taps, 9. The result of 
all this drill was that, when the order came to report in 
Washington, the members of the Battery were well grounded 
in their duties as artillerymen. At last the long-expected 
order came. 

Gener.vl He.\dqiarters, State of New York, j 
Adjutant-General's Office, v 

All^any, N. Y., Nov. 26th, 1861. ) 
Special Orders, No. 514: 

The organization heretofore known as the "Hamilton 
Artillery "' is consolidated with and will compose Company 
" I '"* of the Second Regiment New York Voliuiteer Artillery. 
The following persons are appointed officers of the company: 

Captain — Thomas L. Robinson. 

First Lieutenant — Jacob Roemcr. 

Second Lieutenants — William Hamilton and Henrv J. 
Standish.t 

Captain Robinson will jiroceed with his command to 
Washington on Eriday, November 29th, 1861, and on his 
arrival will re]iort for duty to the General-in-Chief and to 
Colonel Palmer, commanding his regiment. 

♦Afterwards named " Battery L." 

•f- Lieutenant Standish was a First Lieutenant and William ('. Eawolle 
was tlie other Second Lieutenant after Decenilier 4. lS(il. 



CAMP BARRY. 1 7 

Captain Robinson will cause timely requisitions to be 
made for arms, uniforms, and all other supplies, as well as 
for transportation and subsistence on the route. 

Brigadier-General Yates is charged with the execution of 
this order. 

By Order of the Commander-in-Chief. 

E. I). Morgan, 

Official: 

Adjutant-General State of New York. 

The Battery left Flushing December 2d, 1861, and arrived 
in \Vashington on the 3rd. After its arrival had ])cen 
reported in accordance with the foregoing order, it was 
ordered into camp on Capitol Hill, near the Bladensburg 
Gate. It then numbered five commissioned otficers, 150 
enlisted men and one laundress. 

Soon orders were received from Artillery Brigade Head- 
quarters for all officers to attend "school,"' as it were, in 
order to prepare for an examination that would be held 
later to ascertain the titness t)f the officers for the several 
positions held by them. Recitations were held three times 
a week and instruction was given in the maneuvers of a 
mounted battery in the tield. These continued until the 
25th of February, 1862, on which date the examination was 
held at Headquarters. This over, the officers of Battery L 
thought no more of it, and as the papers relating to it were 
not returned from Albany until ]May 23d, 1862, they were, 
until that date, wholly in the dark concerning the result 
of it. 

In the meantime the Battery was engaged in drilling as 
before. We three lieutenants noticed, however, from day 
to day that our maneuvers differed somewhat from those of 
the regular batteries stationed near us, and as our Captain 
scarcely ever went out to drill the Battery, we began to 
mistrust that matters were not conducted exactly as regula- 
tions required. 



1 8 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Knowing- that "practice makes perfect," and that it was 
wrong to spend vahiable time in doing- things in the wrong 
way, especially when we considered that the time for us to 
take the field was drawing nearer day by day, we strove 
diligently with all our nerve and energy, to ascertain what 
was wrong and then to correct it, to bring men and horses 
up to the mark of obeying promptly and strictly every order 
given in maneuvering the Battery, and also to perfect our- 
selves to such a degree that each lieutenant should be able 
to handle the Battery in any manner required on the battle- 
field. All three of us were in perfect accord in this matter. 

Our captain, however, paid little or no attention to our 
repeated requests for "battery drills" and exercises in 
"field maneuvers.'' It soon became apparent to us that to 
drill as he wished would compel us to face the enemy in 
battle with divided commands, for the captain was not at 
all in harmony with us as to the Battery's maneuvers on 
the drill ground. We knew, furthermore, that if the new^ 
tactics w'ere not put in force, and the men and horses well 
drilled in them, our Battery would most likely be routed in 
its first engagement, and we had no thought, as "Flushing 
Boys," of letting the enemy get the best of us at the start. 
We felt that if we lost the first advantage in battle the 
result might be, for the army, the loss of the battle, and for 
us, the loss of the guns and the capture of the men. To 
gain the first advantage quickness of movement is always 
essential and often decides the day. We believed, further- 
more, that if men and horses were well drilled to obey the 
right commands and our shots were well aimed, we could 
hohl our own against odds. 

All this lia]ipened thirty-four years ago, yet I can now 
recall the resolution I then formed. My study of the 
accounts of many different battles had led me to believe — 
and exi)erience on many battle-fields has confirmed me in 



CAMP BARRY. 1 9 

this belief — that if the tirst shots are not well directed the 
enemy gains courage at once. I, therefore, resolved, if I 
should be in command when we went into action, to make 
it my tirst care to have the tirst and second shots tell, and 
thus mark the dividing line between the opposing forces 
with absolute certainty. 

To ha^'e the enemy say (as they have said many a time) 
of my command, ''Look t)ut for that d — d Yankee battery 
or they'll give us h — 11," suited me far better than to have 
my guns spiked and my men taken prisoners. This reso- 
lution of which I have spoken was ever uppermost in my 
mind, while the "Flushing Battery" boys were becoming 
more and more efficient in drill on Capitol Hill. They had 
not experienced as yet the stern realities of actual warfare, 
but they were soon to do so. 

By the end of ]\Iarch, 1862, the men had become quite 
proticient in "section drill." I was well pleased with my 
brother lieutenants, Standish and Rawolle, but not with 
our captain, for he neither appeared on the drill ground, 
nor showed any concern about the Battery's proficiency in 
drill. I spoke to him one day upon this subject, saying 
the Battery was making good progress in drill, and then 
asked him to come out and drill with us, taking my section 
first, and then each of the others in turn, and thus he would 
become familiar with his command by sections. He said 
he would come out that very day, but would have a bat- 
tery drill. I begged him not to do so, for the sections had 
not yet made sufficient progress to go through it with suc- 
cess. The protest was of no avail. I then told him (jcn. 
Barry was always out on the ground watching the drills of 
the twenty-three batteries belonging to his command, the 
Artillery Brigade. This remark had no effect. A mounted 
battery drill he would have, and we, as good soldiers, had 
to obey. 



20 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

The Battery marched out in column of pieces. When it 
had arrived near the drill ground, Capt. Robinson rode 
up to me and said, "Lieut. Roemer, the first movement 
will be 'Battery front into line.'"" "All right, captain,"" I 
answered. He then rode to a point opposite the middle of 
the column and gave this order: "Forward into line! 
march !"" The command being incorrect, I raised my sabre 
and commanded "Halt."" The captain rode up to me and 
asked: "Lieut. Roemer, what is the matter.'"" "Cap- 
tain,'" I replied, "you did not give the right command for 
the execution of the maneuver you wish to have per- 
formed."" "Well,"" said he, "I will give it again."" He 
then gave exactly the same command, omitting as before, 
the phrase "Right (or left) oblique."' Consequently, I 
again raised my sabre and halted the column. The cap- 
tain said no more, but turned and rode back to camp. 
Lieuts. Rawolle and Standish rode up then and asked : 
"What shall we do now.'"" "Lieutenants,"" I re})lied, "we 
are all right. Gen. Barry and Col. Bailey have not as yet 
noticed the blunder. Take your respective stations and we 
will see if we cannot perform the maneuver. ' Battery, 
front into line. " but be careful to give the right commands 
to your sergeants." I then rode to the left, raised my 
sabre, and gave the command: "Column forward, march.'" 
When the column was in motion I gave the command : 
"Column forward into line, left oblique, march."" It was 
like rrtagic ; the Battery came forward into line like vet- 
erans. I then gave the command: "Halt. Right dress. 
Front."' I rode out in front of the line and said : "Officers 
and men, that was well done."" The lieutenants now \\'anted 
to know what the next maneuver would be. "Recollect," 
said I, "this is now 'Battery front.' The next command 
will be 'Battery forward.'" I now gave the commands: 
"Attention. Battery forward, march. Right section, 



CAMP BARRY. 21 

rig-ht wheel, Left section, left wheel. Center section, 
forward, march. Each lieutenant will take command of 
his own section and drill it in section drill." 

That day we had one of the best mounted drills we had 
•ever had. Both men and horses behaved unusually well. 
Just as we were about to leave the ground, Colonel Bailey 
rode over to us, congratulated us on our splendid drill, and 
then asked where the captain was. 1 told him the captain 
had come out M'ith us, but had gone back to camp soon 
after. "Well, Lieutenants," said he, ''you have had a very 
fine drill. General Barry was A'ery much pleased with it, 
and wished me to present you with his compliments antl 
congratulate you on your efficiency. He then bowed and 
rode off. We were justly proud of this and left the ground 
in high glee at being complimented by the Chief of Artil- 
lery of Camp Barry. 

L^pon reaching camp 1 went to the captain's tent and told 
how General Barry had honored the Battery by sending 
Colonel Bailey with his compliments to express his pleasure 
with our splendid drill and to ask where the captain was. 
This seemed to be too much for him, for he addressed me 
thus: "Lieutenant Roemer, I want you to understand I am 
captain of this Battery and not you." "I am well aware 
of that," said I, " but you will recollect that from the first 
organization of the Battery up to the present moment my 
pocketbook and my services have been acting captain. 
But in future Lieutenant Roemer will attend to only such 
■duties as he may be ordered to by his captain. " This ended 
all confidences between us. 

Lieutenant Rawolle and I held a consultation to consider 
the state of affairs as between the captain and the Battery. 
We came to the conclusion that the captain was no drill- 
master, although entitled to our respect as our superior 
•officer. I was, naturally, greatly put out by his conduct, 



2 2 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

for I had, from the time the Battery was first organized, 
been advancing- money, and had given my time to the 
recruiting service. Before leaving Flushing I had paid all 
bills owed by the Battery, for I had promised to be respon- 
sible for them. Of course the Government paid me back 
the greater portion of it (some $1,300), yet quite a sum 
came out of my own pocket. These annoyances and my 
mistrust of the captain after what had occurred, greatly 
discouraged me, especially as he did not give me a single 
chance to explain or defend myself. 

About the end of March my wife and my young son, 
George, six years old, visited me in camp. After they had 
been with me about two weeks my son was taken very 
sick. I called in the two camp surgeons who at once 
pronounced the sickness to be camp fever. They positively 
forbade our moving him under penalty of his life, for he 
was in a very dangerous condition and must have the best 
of care to insure his recovery. After seven weeks" careful 
nursing he recovered and was soon able to travel. I must 
here express my sincere gratitude to the boys of the Battery 
and all in our camp for their devotion to my son during his 
sickness. 

As affairs in the Battery had not improved tluring this 
dismal time, I now made up my mind to resign and return 
home with my wife and son. Lieutenant Rawolle also 
determined to resign. We wrote out our resignations and 
sent them to Colonel Bailey, Chief of Staff to General Barry, 
commanding Camp Barry. Colonel Bailey took the papers 
to General Barry and they held a consultation regarding the 
matter. 

The next day Colonel Bailey came over with the papers 
to meet Lieutenant Rawolle and myself. He said: "Gen- 
tlemen, General Barry and I haAC had a talk about these 
pajiers. We know who are the workers in this Battery. I 



CAMP BARRY. 23 

came to return these papers, but now I will hold them until 
there are some further developments relating to the affairs 
of your Battery, and they will, most likely, come soon." 
We also learned from Colonel Bailey that Captain Robinson 
had not, as we supposed he had, reported the Battery ready 
for the field. 

The Battery had now its full complement of horses, no 
in number, and twelve mules for the baggage wagons. 
Lieutenant Rawolle and I had spent some thirty dollars in 
putting everything in trim and in good working order, 
thinking every morning the order to march out would come 
that day. The Battery was now in fine order, and if any- 
body ever was proud, the officers and men of Battery L 
were whenever they went out on the drill ground. But the 
Battery's pride was humbled when, about the ist of April, 
1862, an order came from Headquarters to turn over to a 
captain who had reported ready for the field, sixty horses 
that he needed to fill up his complement. Sixty of the Bat- 
tery's best horses had to be turned over, and great was the 
dissatisfaction and disgust that reigned that day in the 
camp of Battery L. Men that had had fine horses and had 
taken great pride in them were wild, and bitterly denounced 
the captain for not having reported the Battery ready. 
Some went so far as to steal their horses from the stable 
where they had been put, take them out on the Bladens- 
burg Road, and remain out all that day. Others drowned 
their sorroAvs in the flowing bowl, supposing they could ' ' get 
even " with the captain in that way. It was, certainly for 
us officers, a most unpleasant time, and yet we could not, in 
a measure, blame these men who had bestowed such love 
and care on their horses that the latter seemed really a part 
of themselves. 

Things were going on as usual when one morning, just 
before mv wife and son were to start for home, she called 



24 RE.MIXISCEXCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

nic to her and asked me if it were true that Lieutenant 
RawoUe and I hail handed in our resignations. I said it 
was and we were waiting- for their acceptance by General 
Barry. Turning to me she said: "I don't want you to 
resign. \Miat wouUl the people of Flushing say if you 
should desert the Battery here ? No ! I would rather have 
your dead body brought to me from the battle-field than 
have this happen just now. It was a struggle for me in 
the first place to give my consent to your going into the 
army, but now that you have undertaken this work, and 
have promised the wives of most of the men to stand l)y 
their husbands, I will make all sacrifices for your honor, 
and will gladly care for our children if you shall fall in so 
just a cause. " 

This was an inspiration, and turning to her I said: "I 
will heed your words, my dear wife, and, as Heaven is my 
witness, I will stand l)y the Battery amid shot and shell. 
You are the woman who has taught a soldier his duty to 
his country." 

After that I felt like a new man, and no longer cared 
what unpleasantness might be brought to bear upon me. 
I went to work with renewed energy. Fresh horses were 
drawn to make up our complement. They were a sorry 
looking lot compared with those just lost. It took two 
weeks to g-et them broken to harness and accustomed to 
the drill. Many were the bitter words uttered by the men 
who had to break in these green horses. "If our ca])tain 
h;id only reported the Battery ready,'' they woiild say, "we 
would now be with ' Burnside's Expedition ' on the wa}' to 
New Bern." 

But all complaining went for naught; we had the work 
to do, and do it we must if we expected ever to mrdve any 
progress. We got along very well. ■Mounted drills were 
held dailv and tartret iiractice was also freciuentlv held in 



CAMP BARRY. 25 

addition to the drills. One day, shortly after receiving our 
new 3-inch rifles, we went down to the Potomac, where we 
had a target placed, and had our first trial of these guns 
which, with a powder charge of one pound, could send a 
ten-pound shot three and one-half miles. There were also 
frequent evening recitations by the non-commissioned 
officers in the instructions given them by the lieutenants. 

While we were stationed at Camp Barry, the 15th Regi- 
ment Xew York Engineers, attached to Sickles's Brigade, 
arrived and encamped near the Bladensburg Gate, Capitol 
Hill. When we heard of this, a number of us, officers and 
men, knowing there were many Flushing and Whitestone 
boys in the regiment, went over to see them. I can remem- 
ber now meeting Captain Dermody of Company H, Ser- 
geant G. O. Fowler of Company F, William Smith, Frederick 
Smith and Ezra Fowler, all also of Company F, besides 
many others whose names I cannot now recall. We went 
through the camp and visited many of the tents. As one 
after another greeted us, it seemed good to be there. We 
talked of home and home-folks, and then, after smoking the 
pipe of peace, we bade them "good-bye," and left them not 
knowing on which side of the "great divide,"' we should 
meet again. There must have been as many as two hun- 
dred Long Islanders in Sickles s Brigade. 

At another time we visited Brickel's Brigade of live bat- 
teries, a fine organization, and witnessed their drills and 
field maneuvers. A mounted artillery drill is, I think, the 
most exciting drill to be seen in the military service. We 
also visited Captain Best's United States Battery of Napo- 
leons. He had a fine body of men and the battery officers 
were unusually social and pleasant. Being volunteers we, 
of course, had great reverence for United States regular 
troops and courtesies received from them were highly 
valued bv us trreen hands. 



26 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

While my wife ^vas with me, Captain Best invited us one 
day to spend the evening with him. As such hospitalities 
are seldom extended to ladies, I accepted the invitation 
with pleasure and we went over that same evening-. Cap- 
tain Best gave us a hearty welcome and said he was glad 
he bad had his tent carpeted for the better entertainment of 
the lady. When he opened his tent, we saw that good, 
clean, rye straw had been spread on the ground. We were 
soon engaged in a friendly chat and spent a very pleasant 
evening. (I will here note that at the Battle of Cedar 
IMountain he was chief of artillery). Captain Best's rye 
straw carpet gave me a valuable hint, and afterwards we 
carpeted our tents with the same material. \\'e found it 
very comfortable for our feet. It was quite cold in camp, 
and the rye straw kept the March and April winds to a con- 
siderable extent from singing through the tents. 

Camp Barry was, at that time, a mud hole (if any one 
who knew what it was then should A-isit Capitol Hill now, 
he would hardly believe it was the same place. ) and every 
Saturday there was taken from beside the tent door a whole 
load of dirt we had brought there on our boots. Washing- 
ton itself was a sorry looking place; there was scarcely a 
decent street in it. 1 have seen loads of hay drawn through 
the streets on wagons whose wheels seemed to be solid 
because of the mud packed between the spokes. The 
whole winter was cold and unpleasant. The horses suf- 
fered greatly from diseases of the feet ; hoof-rot was sure to 
set in if the hoofs were not washed and cleansed every day. 
Dismounted drills were attended with much discomfort 
and often had to be omitted, ^^'e Long Islanders were not 
used to such mud and such ]ioor roadways. We had often 
heard of Jersey mud, but ^^'ashington and \'irginia mud 
beats it, I am sure. But that is now a thing of the past ; 
the Washington of to-day is a marvel for tine roadways. 



CAMP BARRY. 27 

How many old soldiers remember the huge blocks of 
stone and massive timbers lying about the Capitol grounds 
and around the unfinished Capitol ? Who will not say that 
Abraham Lincoln was a tireless worker as well as an able 
President ? In four short years, aided by more than two 
millions of men, and at a cost of hundreds of millions of 
dollars a year, he carried on, to a successful termination, 
the most gigantic war known in American history, and yet 
he found time to com])lete the building of the Capitol. 
Another such man is unknown to history. 

The first of May came, but the situation remained 
unchanged. Drilling was carried on incessantly that the 
Battery might be thoroughly prepared in every detail of 
our arm of the service and ready to do its work perfectly 
whenever it should be ordered into the field. The men 
were made accustomed to perform all maneuvers at full 
speed, mounting and dismounting the whole battery, 
mounting and dismounting the pieces, charging at a gallop, 
etc. Mounted drills are not only exciting but also danger- 
ous, unless the greatest care is exercised. 

The batteries and regiments that had been for months 
encamped around us were now leaving daily, and farewells 
were said for, perhaps, the last time, yet the men of Battery 
L were anxious to be ordered into the field. They had 
made many friends during their stay at Camp Barry, and 
would, no doubt, meet them again on bloody battle-fields. 
We all had devoted our lives to our country's cause and 
there should be no hanging back when duty called. For 
my part, I did not believe there would be any flinching in 
Battery L. All we wanted was a chance to prove our 
devotion and our loyalty to our country. 



CHAPTER II. 



REORGANIZATION. CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 

At last, on the 23d of INIay. 1862, the fog- which had been 
hovering over Light Battery L, Second New York Volunteer 
Artillery, since the 25th of February, 1862, was lifted. It 
was then learned that all the officers of the Battery, except 
Captain T. L. Robinson, had passed their examination cred- 
itably. The latter was now dismissed from the United 
States service. On the same day Lieutenant Roemcr 
received the following order : 

Headquarters Light Artillery Depot, Camp Barry, ) 
Washington, D. C. , May 23d, 1862. ( 

Orders No. 47 : 

Pursuant to " S. O. Nt). 49, Headquarters Army of the 
Potomac,"' Captain Thomas L. Robinson, having been dis- 
charged from the service of the United States, will turn over 
all the ]Hiblic property, ordnance and quartermaster's stores 
in his ])()Ssession to First Lieutenant Jacob Roemer, Co. L, 
2d N. V. Art., and Lieutenant Roemer will receipt to him 
for the same. 

By order of ]\Lijor Keefer. 

Angell ]\L\tthewson, Post Adjutant. 

Lieutenant Roemer was ordered to take formal charge of 
Battery L, and Captain Robinson was ortleretl to re]H)rt to 
Governor Morgan at Albany, N. \'. 

As soon as Captain Robinson left camp to report to (gov- 
ernor Morgan, Colonel Bailey came over from Head(piar- 
ters, called the lieutenants together, and said, "Gentlemen, 
this is the reason wh}- I asked two of you to withhold your 
resignations. After the examination of l-'ebruary 25th 1 



CAMP BARRY. 29 

knew what must happen in the Battery, but 1 was not per- 
mitted to explain matters until we had heard from Governor 
Morgan. The papers just received and presented to Cap- 
tain Robinson have been under way three months. Now, 
gentlemen, work together and see how soon the Battery can 
be made ready for active service in the field." 

Now we A\'ere all in great excitement. After a careful 
examination of all stores on hand in the Battery wagon, 
forge, etc., requisitions were at once made for all stores 
found to be needed, ammunition, clothing, etc. 

On this same ^lay 23d Lieutenant Jacob Roemer -was 
promoted to Captain of Battery L, 2d X. Y. Art. to rank as 
such from ]\Iarch 4th, 1S62, liy a commission signed by 
Governor E. D. Morgan. Second Lieutenant H. J. Stan- 
dish had already been prcmioted to junior First Lieutenant 
and Sergeant Jerome Van Nostrantl to Junior Second Lieu- 
tenant, vice Standish promoted, January 16, 1862, but these 
promotions were not made effective by commissions until 
^lay 23d. On this same date Second Lieutenant William 
C. Rawolle was promoted Senior First Lieutenant, vice 
Roemer promoted Captain, and First Sergeant William 
Cooper was promoted Junior Second Lieutenant, vice 
Rawolle promoted. 

By S. O. No. 87, Headquarters :\Iil. Dist. of Washington, 
dated ]\Liy 26, 1862, and G. O. No. i. Headquarters 
Sturgis's Brigade, dated ^Nlay 27, 1862, Battery L was 
assignetl, with other troops, to Sturgis's Brigade. By S. O. 
No. yi. Headquarters Mil. Dist. of Washington, the assign- 
ment was greatly changed, but Battery L's assignment was 
not affected. On 'Slay 29th, 1862, Third Sergeant Moses 
E. Brush was promoted First Sergeant. The same day 
the Battery was reported ready for the field, whereupon it 
received orders to march at once to Camp Waagner, near 
Tenallvtown, D. C. . ten miles distant. The Batterv arrived 



30 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the same day and reported to Colonel Waagner, command- 
ing 2d N. Y. Art., the regiment to which Battery L belonged. 

That the connection of Battery L with the 2d N. Y. Art. 
may be understood, the plan of the organization of that 
regiment is here presented. This regiment of artillery con- 
sisted of twelve companies or batteries. Each company 
Avas composed of 1 50 enlisted men and five commissioned 
officers, \\7.. : one captain, two first lieutenants and two 
second lieutenants. The field and staff consisted of a 
colonel, a lieutenant-colonel, three majors, an adjutant, a 
quartermaster, a surgeon and one or two assistant sur- 
geons — making in all a maximum number of 1,870 officers 
and men. 

There are two classes of artillery — heavy and light. 
Heavy artillery companies are drilled as infantry with 
muskets, and are also trained in the management of heavy 
guns — siege guns — that are mounted in forts, etc., but not 
in the use of field pieces. Light artillery com]ianies, usually 
termed light batteries or field artillery, because their duties 
are chiefly performed in the field, are drilled very differently. 
All officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, are 
mounted. The drivers of gun and caisson teams ride one 
of the horses they drive, while the cannoneers ride on the 
liml)er and caisson chests which carry the ammunition 
when on the march. Battery L was a light battery, and 
because, at that time, it was the rule for all light batteries 
to be attached to regiments of heavy artillery, l^attery L 
was attached to the 2d X. \'. Art. merely formally. Colonel 
Waagner seemed to be niucli pleased with it. He witnessed 
a mounted drill of the Battery on May 30th, and gave it 
credit for accuracy of movement. 

By G. O. No. 7, Headquarters Sturgis"s Brigade, dated 
June 3, 1862, Lieutenant Rawolle was detailed Acting Aide- 
de-Cami) on Ceneral Stury^is's staff, and this detail was 



CEDAR JIOIXTAIX. 3 I 

made permanent by G. O., No. 15, dated June 14, and by 
G. O. , No. 16, of the same date, he was made Acting- Insp.- 
Gen. of the Brigade. I was very sorry that Battery L 
should h:)se the services of so efficient an ofticer. 

In consequence of the dismissal of Captain Robinson, 
some twenty-seven men who were in sympathy with him 
deserted the Battery Avithin live days after our arrival at 
Camp Waagner. Before Captain Robinson left the Battery 
he had given these men to understand that they had a right 
to leave because they had enlisted to serve under him and 
not under his successor. They were not well posted in 
Army Regulations. Five of the poor fellows were caught, 
brought back, court-martialed, and sentenced to the Rip- 
Raps. I asked the president of the court for permission to 
make a statement regarding the matter. Permission was 
granted. I then told the court that these men were not to 
blame for deserting, and then asked the men to tell the court 
what Captain Robinson had said to them. One of them acted 
as spokesman for all. He stated that Captain Robinson left 
camp May 23d, 1862, but before going he had told them 
they could go home because they had enlisted to serve 
under him and not under Captain Roemer. This enabled 
them to escape punishment for desertion. Later one of the 
five deserted again, but this time there was no intercession 
in his behalf He knew well what he was doing and had 
to pay the penalty. 

These desertions left the Battery short of its necessary 
complement of men. To perform the routine work of a 
battery without overworking the men or neglecting any 
duty, it should have its full number of men. A detail of 
thirty men from the heav}^ artillery was sent to help the 
light battery men. 

June 6th, 1862, I was ordered to New York to recruit as 
many men as possible within twenty-five days. I returned 



32 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

to camp July ist with eight men, but others had been sent 
on ahead. 

During- my absence in New York the Battery had gone to 
Fairfax Seminary, Va. , in accordance with G. O. , No. 3, 
Headcjuarters Reserve Army Corps, dated June 26, 1862, 
and joined the 2d Brigade of the Corps, commanded by 
Colonel Z. R. Bliss, loth R. I. Vols. The Battery now had 
six pieces of artillery and 115 horses, and numbered 133 
enlisted men, five officers, three officers" servants and one 
laundress. (The possession of a laundress was a luxury of 
which few organizations could boast. This one was the 
wife of one of the men and had insisted on going with us. 
I may here say she went through the war with us, and at 
the final review in Washington in 1865 rode on a limber 
chest with tlie men. ) The battery received the following 
orders )uly 5th, 1862 : 

Headquarters Reserve Army Corps, ) 
Alexandria, July 5th, 1862. \ 
Special Order, No. 25 : 

Battery L, 2d N. Y. Art., Captain Roemer; the 2nd 
Excelsior Battery, Ca])tain Bruen; the i6th Indiana Battery, 
Captain Naylor, antl the six companies of caA'alry of Gen- 
eral Banks's command now in Washington, will report at 
once to Lieutenant-Colonel Copeland, ist Mich. Cav., at 
quarters east of the Capitol, Washington, for marching 
orders. 

By Order of Brigadier-General Sturgis. 

Wm. C. Rawolle, Captain and A. D. C. 

Headquarters Detachment, ) 
Washington, D. C. , ]uly 5th, 1862. \ 
S. ()., No. I : 

The companies of this command will be in readiness to 
march to-morrow at 10 a. m. with ti\e days' rations ami as 
much forage as they have transportation for. The com- 
mand will proceed under the immediate direction of Captain 
Hourigan to Alexandria or Bailey's Cross Roads, as here- 
after may be determined, where it will be joined by three 



CEDAR -MOIXTAIX. ^^ 

l)atteries of artillery and 200 wagons, the whole to proceed 
to ^Manassas in the following; order : one company cavalry, 
two companies artillery, two companies cavalry, 100 
wagons, one company artillery, two companies cavalry, the 
balance of the wagons and rear guard, one companv 
cavalr3^ 

By Order of Lieutenant-Colonel Copeland, commanding. 
Lieutenant F. H. Rogers, Adjutant. 

As the men had not been paid, and the paymaster was 
expected at any moment, the above order was modified. 

July 6th, 1862. 

Captain Roemer, you will join the cavalry at Accotink to- 
morrow morning (July 7th) as soon as possible. 

By Order of Lieutenant-Colonel L T. Copeland, com- 
manding. 

Lieutenant F. H. Rogers, Adjutant. 

By I p. M. , July 6tli, the payment of the Battery was 
finished and the order to march was given. It soon reachetl 
Fairfax Court House, where it joined General Banks's 2d 
Corps, Army of Virginia. A\'e remained in camp over night 
with our new friends, and I became somewhat ac(juainted 
with our new commander, General D. X. Couch. 

During the 9th the Battery marched through Centreville. 
crossed Bull Run, passed Manassas, and arrived at Catlett's 
Station, near which it encamped for the night. On the loth 
it marched to and through ^^'arrenton and cncam]ied two 
miles beyond the village. On the iith orders came not to 
move. Here we learned that the yth X. Y. Vol. was in 
camp about three miles east. I immediately told my 
orderly to saddle live horses and then with him and the 
horses started out to bring some of the Flushing boys in 
the 9th back to our camp, ^^'e brought back with us Will- 
iam Prince, Thomas Cassady, Isaac P. Jones, Thomas 
Howard and Hicks to see their fellow townsmen in Battery 
L. ]\Iany others of the 9th sent messages to their friends 
in the battery. 



34 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

That night the Warrenton woods were lighted by a huge 
camp fire, around which gathered a gay party composed of 
our guests from the 9th, the boys of the Battery and many 
officers and men from the regiments and batteries in camp 
near by. It was not until the "wee sma' hours" of the 
morning that the camp fire was deserted. As the Battery 
had an extra wall tent, we could make our guests from the 
gth comfortable for the night. I may say that they did not 
answer at roll-call the next morning ; in fact, it was fully 
eight o'clock before any signs of life were manifest in the 
tent. At that hour I looked in. Prince and Howard were 
sitting up and looking around, and just as I stepped inside 
I heard Prince say: "Tom, where are we? In the guard- 
house again, by God ! " And. as he espied me, contiiiued : 
"And there is the devil that put us in." I hustled them all 
out to breakfast and then said: "I will send you back to 
your camp and you will surely get into the guard-house, for 
I noticed that your captain was not inclined to be sociable, 
but as I have your colonel on my side, I guess you will be 
all right. He could not refuse me when I asked him for the 
pleasure of your company for twenty-four hours. He knew 
well what a pleasure it would be for fellow-townsmen under 
the circumstances." That the boys of the 9th enjoyed the 
visit, and that it was a]~>preciatcd by the battery boys, goes 
without saying. 

On the 14th the Batte y was formally assigned by S. O. to 
Gen Crawford's brigade of the 2d Corps. The next day the 
Battery paraded mounted, and was inspected by (jeneral 
Crawford. On the i6th orders came at 11:30 a. m. to be 
ready to march at 12 m. to go to the Rappahannock River, 
and after crossing it, to bivouac on the hill just beyond. 
The next day the Battery marched to Blue Mountain, near 
Little Washington. I rcj^orted to General Crawford on the 
1 8th that the roads leading to our position were so heavy 



CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 



35 



that it was almost impossible to bring up our heavily loaded 
ammunition wagons, and asked permission to change the 
Battery's position. The request was granted, and the Bat- 
tery was removed to higher ground out of the mud. Here 
also was found fine grass for the horses, which soon put 
them in fine condition. 

Here the Battery remained until 3:30 a. m. on the 2 2d, at 
which hour it marched out to Sperryville. Passing this 
place it went on, and then, after passing Sigel's ist Corps at 
8:30 p. M. , went into camp near Woodville, having marched 
thirty miles, the longest march yet made in one day. On 
the 23d the Battery moved to Culpeper Court House and 
encamped six miles east of the town. The next day was 
spent in making some necessary repairs to harness and 
other equipments. Orders came on the 25th to drill five 
hours every day, to keep everything in readiness to march 
at any moment, night or day, and to have the six pieces, 
when not used in drill, so stationed as to command the 
roads approaching the town, and especially the one from 
Orange Court House, on which two pieces must be placed. 

At 2:30 A. M. on the 29th an order came to be read}' for 
action at once. This was the first time the Battery ever 
received such an order, and all felt rather queer. The 
second section was ordered to go out with the cavalry on 
the road towards Orange Court House. 

On the 31st the Battery went out for target practice to a 
point two miles south of Culpeper, in the direction of Cedar 
Mountain. Thirteen shells were fired at 735 and 1,795 
yards. The ammunition was found to be unreliable for the 
shells burst before reaching the targets. This was reported 
to General Crawford, and it was arranged to have another 
trial of target practice sometime before the 7th of August. 

August ist an order was received announcing the death 
of ex-President Martin Van Buren, and as Battery L was on 



36 REMIXISCEN'CES OK MAJOR ROEMER. 

picket duty, that is. out on the advanced line, to it was 
accorded tlie honor of tiring a salute in honor of the ex- 
President, of thirty-four guns, one gun for each State that 
was in the Union during his Presidency. At 6 p. m. the 
firing began, one gun every minute. No sooner was the 
second gun tired than the town of Culpeper was aroused. 
The inhabitants thought the Yankees had opened tire on the 
town. The darkies, especially, went running about for dear 
life in every direction, hallooing and screaming at the toj) 
of their voices. We held a commanding position and couhl 
see the whole affair before us. It was for our troops a 
highly amusing sight, but, doubtless, it was not so for the 
people in Culpeper, startled as the}' were by the unexpected 
firing. 

The battery was supported in this advanced position by 
General Bayard's cavalry. The ca^'alry have the advantage 
over all other troops in one respect, at least, for if there are 
chickens, pigs, cows, oxen or anything else in the way of 
live stock in their way, they can easily clear these (obstacles 
out of it. 

In consequence of their superiority in this respect, the 
night of July 3 1st, 1862, will always Ite a memorable one. 
at least for the boys of Battery L. for they were invited that 
night by the cavalry to a su]ii)er just in rear of the Battery's 
]iosition as near as I could hnd out afterwards. There 
must certainly have been 250 men who partook of the feast. 
As the place where the su]iper was s]iread was so near our 
camp, and as the men had been invited, 1 could scarcely 
blame them for jnirticipating in the feast, and no doubt they 
had a good time. 

The J^attery boys now wished to return the comiiliment. 
but not being so good at foraging as the cavalry were, thev 
were obliged to adopt a different plan. They went out into 
a iield belonging to a Mr. Smith, where a voke of oxen 



CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 37 

were eating- their noonday meal, and tinding- the driver ab- 
sent, unyoked one of the oxen, killed it, and prepared a 
grand supper, to which they invited their cavalry friends, 
and, doubtless, everything- "went merry as a marriage 
bell." As I was on duty that day as Officer of the Day, in- 
specting the camps of all the organizations in the Brigade, 
I w^as out from 8 a. m. to 9 p. m. . and so they had every- 
thing- their own way. On my return to camp I found an 
order from Gen. Bayard to report at his headquarters as 
soon as possible. I asked Lieut. Standish, who was in 
charg-e of the camp, what it all meant. He told me that 
eight men were under arrest for killing an ox belonging to 
Farmer Smith. I rode over to headquarters and asked for 
General Bayard. He came to me, but his manner was cool 
and distant and his remarks were very curt. I told him if 
he would give me a chance I thought I could explain mat- 
ters. Finally, to cut the matter short, I said: ''General, I 
must tell you that your men initiated mine into this busi- 
ness." This seemed to anger him and he exclaimed: "I 
can send every one of those eight men t(^ the Rip-Raps ! " 
"What I say. General," I replied, "I can prove, for I have 
seen the thing with my own eyes. If you will go with me 
through the camps, among your own men, you will see 
what I meant by my remark." "Well, Captain," said he, 
" report here to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock." " All right, " 
I replied, and galloped off, but not back to camp. 

I rode over to Farmer Smith's (it was now 10 p. m. ) and 
made myself known to him. I then said I had heard that 
some of my men had killed an ox belonging to him. 
"Now," said I, "I have come to your house as a friend and 
not as an enemy, and if you will kindly listen to me, we 
may be able to settle the affair. This ox belonged to you 
and I am willing to settle with you for it, for T do not want 
General Bavard to have anvthing to do with it. I will give 



^8 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

you another ox or pay you the money value of the one 
killed, just as you say. If that suits you and you will agree 
to go to General Bayard to-morrow before 8 a. m. and tell 
him you have settled the ox case, our bargain is made. 1 
do not consider it a small matter for either of us. If these 
eight men are taken from the Battery and, as General 
Bayard says, sent to the Rip-Raps, I ^\■ould not give a snap 
of my linger for all you have on your farm." This seemed 
to scare him, and he said he would do almost anything to 
settle the matter. He then proposed that I should pay $130 
for the ox, and to this I agreed. Leaving him, I rode over 
to our Quartermaster and arranged with him to let Mr. 
Smith have $130 for his ox. Thus everything was settlod 
before I went to bed that night. 

The next morning I rode over to General Bayard's Head- 
quarters and found Mr. Smith there. He said he had been 
into Headquarters, and then told me, to my surprise, that 
General Bayard had been called off with his cavalry. He 
had, however, seen General Crawford and talked with him. 
I went to the General's tent. General Crawford told me 
Mr. Smith was well satisfied with my offer and then said I 
should settle with him. P'or his part he considered it a very 
liberal offer. ■•Captain Roemer, " he continued, "you are 
a gentleman, antl I have nothing further to demand of you.'' 
This, ot coLU"se, gave us back the eight men and got Bat- 
tery L out of its first trouble of this kiml. After Mr. Smith 
had received his money from the (Quartermaster he came 
to me and said he bore no malice towards the Battery, and 
at any time when tlie boys passed the house, they could 
have all the milk they wanted. 

During the afternoon of August 3 the cavalry brought in 
forty prisoners, including a colonel, two captains and se^•eral 
other officers. My curiosity was aroused, and I rode into 
Culpeper to see them. On the 5th Lieutenant-Colonel 



CEDAR ilOl'XTAIX. 39 

Johnston, Captain Deisiiekl and Lieutenant Joseph of the 
5th Conn. Vols, brought in tifty-tive prisoners captured 
near Orange Court House. Things were now becoming 
quite warlike. 

On the 6th all drills were on foot, for the pieces had to be 
kept in position to defend the approaches. The men now 
began to think that actual fighting would soon occur. The 
Battery ^vent out on the 7th for target practice. Twenty- 
eight shots were tired at the same ranges as on July 31st 
with very satisfactory results. 

The next day, 8th, orders came to be ready to march at i 
p. M. Within thirty minutes after that hour the Battery was 
marching out on the roatl to Culpeper, through which it 
passed, and arrived at Cedar ^lountain Run at 5 p. m. 
Four pieces were put in position, while the remaining sec- 
tion was sent to Captain Knapp, on the left of the line to 
stay there in position during the night — the night before 
Battery L's tirst battle. 

How can I describe what I felt that night, knowing 
what was before us .-' What a responsibility rested upon 
me ! I felt that the lives of my men were in my hands 
and that I must give account of them. All night long the 
minutes seemed like liours. I thought of everything — of 
my family at home and of the possibility that I might not 
see the morrow's night. If I should not, what then .•' The 
thought was agonizing. It seemed as though I could not 
endure it, but endure I must, whatever my feelings might 
be, for I knew the enemy were right in front of us and we 
had been told U) hold ourselves in readiness for any emer- 
genc}' that might arise during the night. By 10 p. m. 
everything in the Battery was quiet ; all seemed to be at 
rest and asleep, but I could not sleep. Then I walked 
through the camp. The men were all lying down, wrapped 
in their blankets, resting peacefully. As I looked at them 



40 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

I thoug;ht, "How many of you will be sleeping' the eternal 
sleep at the setting- of to-m(~)rrow"s sun?" I returned to my 
tent, but to sleep was still impossible. ^ly mind was 
oppressed by a. indefinable dread of the dangers that 
aM^aited us on the morrow. Who is there that has ever 
been in the service that has not had the same feeling on the 
eve of battle.^ Some call it fear, but I do not think it is 
actually fear, for I have always found men who had such 
feelings to be brave in the presence of real danger. The 
man who boasts of having no fear is often the first to 
abandon the post of duty when he is most needed. The 
man upon whom one can depend to obey implicitly all 
commands, whatever they may be. no matter how near 
shot and shell may be flying, is a noble soul and is worthy 
of the high honor of being a United States soldier. I had 
absolute confidence in the men of my command, and they 
proved themselves worthy of it throughout all our cam- 
paigns. 

About 12:30 A. M. on the 9th, I went out again down to- 
"ward Cedar Movmtain Run, some two hundred yards away 
in rear of our camp, and sat down on its bank. Thoughts 
of all kinds passed rapidly through my mind as I A'iewed 
the scene before me. The water, illumined by the bright 
moonlight, was as clear as crystal, and I could see the lit- 
tle fishes swimming over the white pebbles at the bottom. 
Impelled by something, I know not what, 1 knelt down and 
offered up my humble prayer to God, that if it should be 
my lot to die on the morrow, I might be ready to sacrifice 
my life for my adopted country : but, if it might be His 
will, to spare me to ni}^ family, and be with me amid all 
the dangers before me. Strengthened in cA'cry nerve, I re- 
turned to camp, where I found the officer changing the 
guards. I spoke with him about the beauty of the night, 
and then walked around the cam]-). Finding all posts well 



CEDAR JIOUNTAIX. 4 I 

guarded, I returned to my tent, to secure, if possible, an 
hour's sleep, at least, but found it to be in vain. I then 
strolled around to pass the remaining hours of the night. 

At 4 A. M. , I ordered the sergeant of the guard to sum- 
mon the men to reveille roll-call, without sounding the 
bugle, by passing the word from man U) man. At the roll- 
call every man was present. Breakfast was ordered to be 
ready at 5, and the horses to be watered at the same hour. 
I then walked out westward as far as the level top of the 
hill extended. I saw our cavalry some 250 yards in front, 
near some woods. 

A group of ofticers were standing a little distance away, 
and they called to me to come over. I went, and Gen. 
CraAvford, our Brigade commander, saluted me as I ap- 
proached with, "Good morning, Captain; have you had 
your breakfast .'' "' " Not this morning, General," I replied. 
Thereupon he called out to his cook, "Bring the captain a 
chop." The cook brought it on one of the first forks 
ever made with five prongs. The general at the same time 
handed me a musket cartridge, saying, "Captain Roemer, 
we have no salt this morning, and as you will have to smell 
powder to-day, you may as well eat some this morning. 
They say it is very encouraging before a battle, even better 
than whiskey ; it fires the blood, but does not stupefy as 
whiskey does. " I had several of these chops, broiled on 
the hot coals and eaten on the spot with the seasoning 
given me by Gen. Crawford. I defy any epicure to prepare 
anything finer. 

Then the general asked how near ready the Battery was. 
It was now 4:35 by his watch. I then told him I could 
have the Battery ready to march by a quarter to five. 
"That will do," he said, "although they are close in our 
front. It is best to be ready in case of need. I do not 
think, however, they Avill advance before 9 or 10 o'clock." 



4 2 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR KOEMER. 

After telling the general he could call on the Battery at any 
time after 5 o'clock, I left him and returned to camp. 
Everything was in order, and the Battery was ready to 
march at a moment's notice. 

]My young son Louis, eleven years old, had been staying 
with me in camj), but now at the moment when real dan- 
gers were confronting us, I thought it best to send him to 
the rear with the baggage trains. I called him to me, and, 
taking from my pocket a twenty-dollar gold piece, handed 
it to him and said : " IMy son, we may soon be exposed to 
a deadly tire and I do not wish you to risk your life here. 
Now, take this gold piece and go to the baggage train, and 
if I am killed go home to mother, using this money for your 
expenses." After a loving embrace and a promise from him 
to do as I bade him, we parted. 

At about 5:30 A. M. , the Battery took position on a hill 
about 500 yards in front of our camp and awaited develop- 
ments. At 12, noon, a strong attack was made on our left 
wing. The first shot against the enemy's line was tired by 
Battery L. This attack was of short duration, but we could 
see the enemv's troo]is marching, countermarching and 
changing position. At i p. m. the attack on our left was 
repeated with a larger force. At 2 i\ :\i. the Battery was 
ordered to move from the right of the road lo the left of it 
and take position on liigher ground. The Battery opened 
fire at once from this position, and for several minutes the 
scene was an exciting one. At 2:30 p. m., by order of Gen. 
Banks, the Battery went into position in a cornfield six or 
eight hundred yards farther to the left, and about the same 
distance farther in front, anil immediately opened fire. At 
the same moment, I saw that two of the enemy's lotteries 
were directly in our front, and a third on Cedar Mountain. 
The latter opened a very heavy cross-fire on Battery L 
which replied with viiror. B\- this time all three of the 



CEDAR MOIXTAIX. 43 

Brigade's batteries were in position actively eng-ag-ed. Capt. 
Best's Battery F, 4th U. S. , was about 500 yards to the 
right of Battery L and Capt. Knapp's Battery E, Penn. Vol. 
Art, with one section of Battery L about 800 yards to the 
left. 

The battle Avas now raging furiously. Shot and shell 
were flying all around us. I Avas not pleased with our 
position, but we had taken it under orders from Gen. Banks, 
brought by one of his aides. The position was on a hill on 
the side toward the enemy, whereas, if it could have taken 
positien 300 yards farther back with the hill in front of it, 
men and horses would have had lietter protection, and the 
Battery could ha\-e had as good a range on the enemy's lines. 
As good luck would have it, however, the enemy tired too 
high, and four out of every five shots jmsscd over us and 
struck eibout a mile in our rear, but for this, the rebels 
would have had the best of the Battery in its first battle — 
its " baptism of fire." 

As soon as I saw how things were going, I sent three of 
our ammunition wagons back over the hill, the l)etter to 
protect the horses, and charged ist Sergeant Brush to look 
after the fourth ; and, as soon as it was uidoaded, to send 
it back and bring up another loaded wagon. Matters had 
now become very lively ; shot and shell of various kinds 
and sizes were flying around us thick and fast. I now dis- 
mounted and sent my groom with my horse to seek shelter 
under a lovely forest tree some fifty yards to the left, there 
to stay until called for ; and, strange to say, the groom was 
glad to get away. 

Now the enemy prepared to make a heavy cavalry charge 
on the center of our lines. I ordered the pieces turned in 
the direction of the advancing column, and aimed at the 
horses' breasts and legs. I took charge of the riglit gun 
myself. As the advancing column came on at full gallop, 



44 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEJIER. 

the guns were fired by battery. The cavah'y broke and 
retreated to their lines. There they reformed and. with 
Gen. Winder at their head, made another dash. When we 
saw the maddened crowd of horses and riders coming- 
nearer and nearer, tearing and plunging with such force 
that the earth trembled beneath them, we knew what they 
intended to do — to destroy Battery L, if possible. Though 
greatly excited, I gave the same command as before. The 
command was scarcely given before it was executed, so 
promptly did the men obey. Some of the horses jumped 
four and five feet into the air as the shrapnel burst among 
them. At the fourth "battery fire, " they showed us their 
backs, and we gave them two shots more, to make sure 
they would go home. In this last charge, Gen. Winder was 
killed. ^Nlen and horses strewed the field across which the 
cavalry had charged. 

Due west of us was a rebel battery called the " \\'hite 
Horse Battery." This battery now opened a tremendous 
fire from its six rifled pieces upon Battery L, to demolish it, 
in revenge, as we believed, for the havoc it had made among 
the cavalry, or at least give it so much work to do that it 
would be compelled to leave the cavalry alone. The rebel 
battery soon became satisfied, however, that it was best 
to leave Battery L alone. One of their shots, though, 
struck the ground some eight feet in front of where I was 
standing and about two feet lower down and plowed 
through the earth directly mider my feet, thus upsetting 
me. I fell on my hands and knees near Private D. S. Johns- 
ton, cannoneer No. 3, whose duty it was to hold his thumb 
on the vent while Nos. i and 2 were loading the piece. 
One would naturally suppose he would have asked me, 
"Captain, are you hurt.'" Not he. Witli the serenity of a 
veteran he called out, "C"a])tain, get up off your knees. 
There's no time to ])ray now ! " I looked at him as I arose 



CEDAR MOrXTAIX. 45 

and could not but remark his coolness. If this boy only 
seventeen years old can display such coolness and courage 
in the midst of such a bloody conflict, I thought what 
splendid soldiers my men will make and how I can depend 
upon them in the most trying times. 

Just in the midst of all this, one of the officers called my 
attention and said, "Captain, your son Louis is out there 
right behind the Battery." I looked around and there Louis 
was, sitting on his horse and looking around coolly and 
collectedly. I called out to him, asking: "My son. what 
are you doing here ? This no place for you. If a stray 
shot or shell should hit you, how can I console your 
mother.^'" "Oh, papa, '" he replied, "don't, don't send me 
back where I was. for several horses have been killed and 
wounded there, and I see you have not lost a man or a 
horse. Do let me stay here with you and the men. I feel 
happier here. " "Well," said I, "if you feel happier here, 
dismount and give your horse to the groom, who will put 
her with mine under the tree. Vou can make yourself use- 
ful among the men, and we will trust God to keep you 
safe." 

When the main charge was made on our center, at the 
same time Capt. Best and Capt. Knapp were both severe- 
ly attacked Ijy the enemy's artillery, and a tremendous 
artillery duel raged from three to five p. m. During all this 
time the infantry had been in rear of the artillery. The 5th 
Conn. Vols, was the Battery's support. At about five p. m. 
this regiment was ordered to pass to the front of the Battery, 
and while passing they all greeted the Battery with loud 
hurrahs. Very many of the poor fellows lost their lives in 
the charge on the enemy. The officers especially suffered ; 
out of forty officers who went to the front that day not one- 
half returned uninjured. The others were either killed or 
wounded. Who of those now li\'insr that lived in those 



46 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

days can look back and think, without tears in their eyes, 
of the brave, willing souls that gave up their lives for their 
country, of the homes made sad and desolate by the loss of 
loved ones that went forth from them never to return. 

The Battery was now ordered to move to a point a little 
to the right and rear on higher ground, to cover the advance 
of our infantry against the enemy's lines by taring over their 
their heads. As soon as it reached this new position, it 
opened tire, but the tire was only of short duration. Noth- 
ing could then be heard but the rattle of musketry. By 
thousands our troops charged the enemy's lines and were 
driven ])ack in turn by countercharges. These attacks and 
counter attacks continued with great severity for a full 
hour. The Battery was now ordered back to the east bank 
of Cedar ^fountain Run. Three pieces only could be used, 
the fourth having become disabled by the rapid tiring dur- 
ing the cavalry charge. The gun had become so hot that 
the bore became too small to permit a shot being sent home 
to the bridge, and a shot had stuck fast half way home. 
This could not be moved either way until the gun became 
cool. This was done a day or two after. 

When the three guns was in position as ordered, one was 
at the foot of the hill, a second, 150 yards higher up, and 
the third, 150 vanls higher still. As soon as the pieces 
were in position, a second order was received to the effect 
that the Battery commander would be held responsible hn 
the ])r()tection and sup])ort of the troops in the woods at all 
hazards, even if the Battery had to be sacrihcetl. I called my 
two lieutenants, Standish and Van Nostrand, and told them 
to meet me at the lowest ]iiece, where I would explain to 
them what this order meant. 1 then told mv groom to 
bring me my flask out of my s;uldle-bag. When we met 
again at the lowest ])iecc. I asked my lieutenants to stand 
on the other side of the irnii, thiiddnir it would make- a <'-ood 



CEDAR -MOUNTAIN. 47 

altar for our last communion. Then 1 said. "Gentlemen, 
you have asked me several times for a drink of whiskey, and 
each time, I told you I had none for the purpose for which 
you wanted it. I have some in this flask, but it is no 
longer to be regarded as whiskey ; it is the blood of Christ 
and we take it together as such, not knowing to how severe 
a test we shall be subjected before the day closes." I 
passed the flask to Lieut. Van Nostrand, then to Lieut. 
Standish, after which I drank some myself By this act, 
we placed ourselves unreservedly then and there in the 
hands of God. Lieut. Standish then came to me. fell on 
my neck, kissed me, and said, "Capt. Roemer I thought I 
knew you. but this is beyond anything I ever expected. I 
will not let you take charge of this gun, for this is my 
place." "No," I replied, "the orders have been given, and 
you must obey. This gun I reserved for myself All I ask 
of you is, if it' should come to the worst and I should fall, 
ask the men to stand by you and defend our infantry 
against the enemy to the last." We tlien separated, each 
one going to the post assigned him. 

The latter raged hotly for an hour or more. Infantry 
charges were repeatedly made by both sides, and the rattle 
of musketry was deafening. We of the artillery being just 
now in the rear, were, for the most part, simply spectators, 
and could only once in a while, find a chance to fire a sliot, 
which we did whenever opportunity oftered, and then we 
tried to make ever}^ shot tell. 

On the west side of tha creek, there was a wood, then a 
clear field about 400 yards wide, and beyond this was an- 
other wood. Our commanding position afforded us a per- 
fect A'iew of this exciting moving panorama. Our infantry 
would drive the rebels clear across the open field to the 
edge of the farther woods, and then would be pressed back 
to the bank of the creek. At such times, we would be 



48 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

enabled to send a shrapnel or two into the midst of the 
rebels witli good effect. 

At about 7 ]). m., there was a cessation of the musketry- 
tire, and our troops were holding- the outer works. The 
Battery's position was not so hazardous as I had, at iirst, 
expected it would be. Our infantry held their own better 
than the generals had calculated, fortunately for us and our 
three pieces on the eastern bank of the creek. At 7.30 
p. .M., Ca])t. Best informed me that the troops were to be 
withdrawn from the field. He instructed me to hold my 
position until the last regiment, which was to follow my 
battery, should come up. 

When our time came, we went through the woods to a 
sunken road, across which we were to go into a cleared 
field. Bey(jnd this field, rose a hill on which was a battery 
in position. The rest of the troops had already entered 
this tield by the time the Battery and the following regi- 
ment came up, and the entrance to the field was choked 
with troops. My orders had been to make my way to 
Capt. Bests position, and I was using the utmost diligence 
to accomplish this. We had gone into the field just about 
300 yards from the entrance, when an officer galloped up 
and said, •■ I Avant you to halt this battery." I replied that 
I could not as I was un.der orders to report it as soon as 
possible to Capt. Best, Chief of Artillery." " But," said he, 
" I want you to lialt here." Becoming somewhat excited, 
I said 1 would not. He replied rather abruptly, "If you 
don't halt, I will use my saber." "Then," said I drawing 
my own saber, "we will be quits." I then said. "Now I 
will tell you this Battery is going to join Capt. Best's Bat- 
tery. I ilon't know who you are, but I ha\'e had prior 
orders to yours." "I am on (ien. Sigcl's staff," saitl he. 
"That niay or may not be," I re])lied, "just as you say, 
but vou niust understand vou can'L bluff me. I am under 



CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 



49 



Capt. Best's orders and. as his battery is a short chstance 
ahead of me, I shall join him." Just at this moment a can- 
non shot came rolling through the Battery. A section of a 
rebel battery had followed the regiment that was following 
Battery L and had thought to take us by surprise. The 
battery on the hill, of which I have made mention, opened 
upon the rebels, but. unfortunately, the first shot killed nine 
of our own troops, and the second wounded two or three. 
This created something like a panic, and the troops who 
had lost the men mentioned, were stampeded like a flock of 
sheep, and the whole camp was aroused. 

After conferring together in Capt. Best's presence, Gen. 
Banks and Gen. Sigel decided to have the Captain take the 
position on the hill, Init the Captain said his l)attery had 
sustained such losses during the day that it was not equal 
to the task, llien Gen. Sigel and Capt. Best came to me 
and asked me if I would take the position for the night. I 
agreed and Battery L, at once, marched up the hill, took 
position, and, with a dozen Avell-aimed shots, silenced the 
rebel artillery. (We found the next morning, that the 
rebels had vanished and left six dead horses). 

This day (August 9th) had been for us an exceedingly 
busy day. It was 11 p. m. , Avhen the last shot of the day 
was fired, and the men were all tired out having worked 
very hard all day. After the poor fellows had had some- 
thing to eat, they all lay down where they had been stand- 
ing and were soon lost in sleep. Our casualties were two 
men slightly wounded, six battery horses killed, and two 
wounded. My own saddle horse, "Joe," was twice 
wounded, and so badly that I could no longer ride him. 
This was a great loss to me, for I had so trained him that I 
could depend upon him at all times. He was the one pre- 
sented to me at Camp Todd, Flushing. An artillery officer 
is very dependent upon his horse and it takes considerable 



50 KE.MIXISCEXCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

time to break one into tlie work it must perform. The two 
pieces that had been sent to Cai)t. Knapp in the mornin"^, 
rejoined the Battery while on the hill, at ii v. m., and took 
its proper position with the other pieces. 

After breakfast the next morning- (Sunday the loth) I took 
a stroll to visit the various regiments that had, in company 
with the Battery, passed through their baptism of lire, but 
many of the familiar faces were found to have passed over 
the river of death. The 5th Conn. Vols, had lost its colonel 
and many of its captains, besides very many of the rank 
and tile. 

The behavior of the officers and men of Battery L during 
their first battle was far better than I had expected it to be. 
Lieuts. Standish and Van Nostrand proved themselves 
worthy of their positions, but Lieut. \Vm. Cooper proved 
himself to be wholly unworthy of being even a private 
soldier. His behavior was most demoralizing, especially 
as he had very often boasted of his service in the French 
army. Naturally more is expected of an officer who claims 
to liave seen service than of one who has not. The battle 
had not fairly opened, only a few cannon shots had been 
exchanged, when Lieut. Cooper was seized with the "can- 
non fe\'er. " Trembling from head to foot, he was ]:)ut into 
an ambulance and sent off the field. The behavior of such 
a man could easily have created a panic amOng the men, 
with the result that not one would have been fit to hold the 
post assigned him, and the sooner he was sent off the field, 
the better. He never appeared in the Battery again. Of 
the enlisted men, very few falteretl in their duties. Boys of 
sixteen and seventeen fought like heroes throughout the 
battle. 

Battery L was now ordered to go into position at a iK)int 
farther to the right and on higher ground. The Battery had 
already limbered to the rear to make this change, but when 



CEDAR .MOUXTAIX. 5 I 

the proper comniand had !)een given to start the movement, 
a strang-e things occurred. Some of the battery horses seemed 
either to have forgotten what they had learned on the drill- 
ground or to have become totally deaf. The heavy can- 
onade of the previous day must have had a bad effect upon 
them, for they seemed as if they had been paralyzed. The 
tirst two pieces started off readily enough, but the third 
would not start. ■ The driver of the lead team had caug-ht 
the '-cannon fe\'er "" and had lost control of his horses. 
The rebels had by this time noticed our movements, and 
now greeted us with a shower of shot and shell. Thick and 
fast the missiles came. I saw at once that the lead driver 
could do nothing; with his team, and that he and the team 
would certainly l^e destroyed if he stayed much longer. I 
ordered him to dismount, and calling the boy, I^an John- 
ston, whom 1 have mentioned before, said : "Come, mount 
this team, its driver is not fit to drive a lead team."' Johns- 
ton' came, but instead of letting him mount by himself, I 
took him by his jacket collar and the seat of his trousers 
and threw him into the saddle. Then, taking a whip, I 
struck the horses to start them off at a full gallop and fol- 
lowed them for several yards, still on foot. 

just then my groom called me and asked me if I did 
not want my horse. 

"Yes, Jimmy," said I, "bring him along. You are a 
bra\'e boy. But why did you not follow the other pieces as 
you had a right to do ? '' " And sure," he replied, " I would 
not leave my captain without his horse." At the same mo- 
ment a shot came tiying and I had just time enough to get 
out of its way and mount my horse, or both Jimmy and I 
would have been stricken down. When Jimmy brought 
up my horse amid the flying shot and shell, the horse was 
so uneasy and restless that I had to be, on that account, very 
quick in mounting, but as soon as I was in the saddle the 



52 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEilER. 

horse was all right.* 1 then started off at full gallop across 
the corntield in which the cornstalks were some eight or 
nine feet high. While thus riding on, one of my men ran 
in front of the horse, and the latter striking the man on the 
shoulder in front, whirled him around like a spinning top. 
At the same time I noticed that his coat spread out as he 
whirled. 

As soon as I caught up with the Battery, thinking the 
man, Igo by name, whom my horse had struck, was 
wounded. I sent a corporal with two men back on my trail 
to find him. The corporal found the man, brought him up, 
and took him to the surgeon to be examined. Igo declared 
positively that he was wounded, as he knew a ball had 
struck him in front. On examination a lo-pound shell was 
found — in his coat pocket, where he had put it himself, hav- 
ing picked it up on the field for some unknown reason. The 
horse striking him in front as it did, had caused him to spin 
around, and he thought he had liecn mortally wounded. It 
was some time before he could be convinced that he was 
wholly unhurt. Ever after, the wounding of Igo was a 
standing jest among the men. 

Private Wm. Ludwig, driver of the pole team of one of 
the ])icces which had been sent August 9th under command 
of Lieut. Howard to support Capt. Kna])]-) on the left of our 
line of battle, showed himself ecpial to any emergency. 
The section to which he belongctl was stationed on the left 
of Capt. Knapp's battery during severe fighting that contin- 
ued for fully two hours. Cajit. Knapp's battery lost heavily 



* How soon a liorse can learn the maneuvers of artillery is sliown liy 
the fact that my horse, although but a short time in the service, wanted, 
when the bugle sounded the command to march, to go to the liead of 
the column if it were possible, and, if he were kept back, would ])hnige 
and rear until he was allowed to go to what he seemed to think was his 
proper iilace. 



CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 53 

in both men and horses from the fire of the enemy on the 
mountain. This battery was more directly in front of the 
mountain than Battery L was. 

When the order came to withdraw the artillery and ad- 
vance the infantry, Capt. Knapp's battery was ordered to 
move first, while Battery L"s section was ordered to follow. 
Just as the movement was about to be executed, a horse 
belonging to the middle team of Ludwig's piece was killed 
and fell right on the pole in front of the pole team. The 
driver of the lead team loosened his horses the quickest 
way he could and galloped off. The driver of the middle 
team did the same with his remaining horse. Thus poor 
Ludwig was left to his fate. He, however, took in the sit- 
uation at a glance, and proceeded to extricate himself from 
his trouble in a way that seemed like an inspiration. He 
backed his horses, as they interfered with freeing the pole 
from the burden resting upon it, pushed the dead horse 
from the pole and turned his horses directly eastward to 
hug the lee of the mountain. Lieut. Howard galloped up 
to him and ordered him to go right out and cross the plain. 
But Ludwig replied, "No, Lieutenant, if I do that both 
horses and piece will be lost. I will hug the niountain 
until I reach the road, and then I will be all right." He 
knew that the enemy were close at his heels and he thought 
that by doing as he did they could not reach him either 
with cannon or with muskets. Ludwig brought his gun 
safely to the'rear. Gen. Pope saw his maneuvers, and just 
as Ludwig was passing the general and his staff, the gen- 
eral said to him, " My boy, you are a brave man ; to what 
battery do you belong.?" "To Battery L, 2d N. Y. , Gen- 
eral," replied Ludwig. 

My opinion regarding the battle of Cedar Mountain is 
this : — If Gen. Sigel had not come up just at the time he 
did, the 2d Army Corps would have suffered a terrible de- 



54 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

feat. It could not possibly have held its own. All the 
trouble arose in consequence of the terrible l)lunder per- 
petrated by the battery on our right, in firing on our own 
men just as they were entering the large clearing near the 
woods while falling back from the battlefield. The troops 
fought well that day, yet we stood on the brink of a terrible 
disaster. We were only about 8, 700 against the enemy's 
20,000, so one can judge what work we had to do to hold 
our own. The dead and wounded lay thick around us, yet 
we could pay no attention to them. They had been 
our comrades and we felt for them, but we were fighting to 
save our country and that had to be our first care. 

Right here I wish to say that the men who fought in the 
first battles of the war were wedded, body and soul, to 
their country's cause, and that it was pure love of country 
that inspired them to fight and die for its sake. I only 
wish that my dear friends in Flushing could have stood by 
gun No. I of Battery L on that 9th of August. They would 
then hav^e been in a position to understand better the ter- 
rible nature of that battle. They could have told by the 
changes of color of the officers' faces how the tide of battle 
was constantly varying. Our men would charge heavily 
against the enemy's lines only to be driven back in turn ; 
then the reserves would force the enemy back until they in 
turn were compelled to give way ; then again, after re- 
forming, they would press heavily against the enemy's 
lines. No matter how many dropped out of the ranks, the 
remainder, gallant fellows, struggled hard to gain the vic- 
tory. 

After the battle I ]Kud a visit to the field hospital estab- 
lished in an old log house. Operating tables had been put 
up and about a dozen surgeons were hard at work amputat- 
ing torn and shattered limbs. So urgent were the demands 
for the surgeons' services, there was no time to remove the 



CEDAR MOUNTAIN. 55 

clothes covering the limbs ; limb and covering were both 
removed together, that the work might be completed before 
the truce came to an end. Just to the right of the operat- 
ing tables, was a window through which the amputated 
limbs were thrust. I walked around the hospital on the 
outside, but one look at that pile of human flesh, mutilated 
as it was, was enough for me. It was sickening and I was 
glad to leave, yet I knew this work of amputation had to be 
done. 

In the afternoon, I rode over the whole battlefield, both 
on the enemy's side and our own. At the place where our 
infantry had struggled so gallantly against terrible odds, 
those that had been killed outright had been buried where 
they fell, if buried it could be called, for, as I rode 
over the field, I could see here and there a foot or an arm 
projecting above the ground. It was horrible, but the 
necessity for burial had been so very great that this could 
hardly have been avoided. 

Now I learned why the enemy's "White Horse Battery" 
did not stand its ground when the fire of our batteries was 
directed against it. It must have suffered severely. One 
trench was marked, "24 men, White Horse Battery." 
Farther on, I came to a single grave surrounded by a fence 
made of pickets taken from a fence a short distance away. 
It was marked, "Captain, White Horse Battery." Close by 
this, was a ditch containing seven of the infantry support of 
the battery, and near this ditch, was a tree fully one foot in 
diameter that had been shot clean off about three feet from 
the ground. Just to the right of this battery's position, was 
the place where their cavalry had formed twice for those 
desperate charges made on our battery to break the center 
of our lines. Here death and destruction had been ram- 
pant. Who can describe such a scene .? Most of the dead 
soldiers had been buried, and the wounded removed, but 



56 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the field was covered with dead horses that had belonged 
to the artillery and cavalry. The hot sun pouring down 
upon them created such a stench that, as a sanitary meas- 
ure, they were burned as soon as possible. I was glad to 
leave this sickening sight and ride back to camp, though I 
fully realized I might have to behold such a scene many 
times in the future, unless as a soldier I should myself be 
soon called upon to yield up my own life for my adopted 
country, a sacrifice I was willing to make. 



CHAPTER 



SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN. 

On the eleventh of August the Battery was ordered to 
take position on the left of the Culpeper road, which posi- 
tion it occupied until the 15th. By a Special Order from 
Hdqrs. , 2d Corps, Army of Virginia, dated August 14th, the 
Battery was assigned to the Reserve Artillery commanded 
by Maj. Kiefer, 2d N. Y. Art. 

On the 15th the Battery went by order to Culpeper to re- 
port for future service, and, after repairing damages and 
drawing 750 rounds of ammunition, to be ready to march 
at a moment's notice. At 3:30 p. m. , August i8th, it was 
ordered to march at once. Our coffee was almost ready, 
but we had to leave it. Men and horses had to go without 
supper, which means much to a soldier. We fell into our 
place in the column and then halted till nine o'clock the 
next morning. At that hour an order came to march to the 
Rappahannock River. That night the whole army bivou- 
acked on the right bank of the river, and crossed it the next 
day, the 20th. The Battery went into camp in company 
with the other batteries of the Reserve Artillery. 

Two of the Battery's pieces were put in position near the 
edge of the wood ready for action. Tney were posted near 
a water course that had a fence in it following the center 
line of the channel, to prevent cattle from crossing. As 
night came on a heavy rain storm set in ; it rained harder 
and harder till, finally, the rain came down in perfect tor- 



58 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

rents. I thoug-ht of the two pieces and of Sergeant Kauf- 
man in command. After supper, the rain having slacked 
uj), I rode over to see how matters stood there. 

After loolving- over the situation, I concluded to remain 
there for the night. 1 told the Sergeant to keep a close 
watch in front, and said I was going to pass the night with 
him. "I am glad. Captain," he replied, "for this is a 
nasty place to be attacked in." I told him to charge his 
cannoneers not only not to undress, but also to keep on 
their accoutrements and be ready for action at any moment. 
The Sergeant soon reported everything in order. At 10 
p. M. the storm began again, the rain coming down in tor- 
rents. Not a man in the section had an overcoat with him, 
and all were without shelter of any kind. The ground 
was fast becoming saturated. Sergeant Kaufman had an 
India rubber talma. This we fastened to the fence rails 
and under it we huddled together. The water course was 
fast filling with water. In some places it rose from live to 
seven feet, and the current soon became so strong that no 
swimmer could live in it. There we were, with just a few 
fence rails to support us and a single talma to cover us. 
But we had to make the best or it. The one thing we 
were thankful for, w^as, we were not attacked during the 
night. 

On the 2 1st, by orders from Hdqrs. , Lieut. Standish was 
sent with two pieces to go out with Gen. Bayard and his 
cavalry on the advanced line, to ascertain the enemy's jios- 
ition. The next day I was ordered to report with the four 
remaining pieces and 300 rounds of ammunition to Gen. 
Sigel. At 10 A. M. orders came to march at 12 m. At that 
hour the Battery started, and, after marching six miles, 
joined Gen. Sigel's First Corps just above the bridge. The 
moment I reported I received orders to take position in a 
shallow valley near the river. Here our troo])s were soon 



SECOND BULL RUN. 59 

engag-ed in a sharp encounter with the enemy across the 
river. During this fight, the brave Gen. Bohlen, command- 
ing the ist Brigade, was killed while leading his men to the 
attack. After his fall, Gen. Carl Schurz commanding the 3d 
Div., First Corps, was especially conspicuous on the battle- 
field. Toward evening, an order came for the Battery to go 
into position in a rye tield nearer the river. I was also 
ordered to allow no cannoneer to leave his post or his piece 
during the night, antl. as soon as I had an)^ knowledge of 
an advance by the enemy, to open fire at once. Occasion 
to obey this order soon came. The enemy advanced, but 
after we had hred al)out thirty rounds, they fell back. 

At 10 A. M. , August 23d, orders came to march to Sul- 
phur Springs. When the troops had gone about four miles 
the march was suddenly interrupted by the enemy. The 
Battery was ordered to the front. Arriving there, it opened 
with shot and canister, and compelled the enemy to retreat 
to Sulphur Springs, whither our troops followed them. The 
ne.xt day the Battery was ordered to take position on the 
hill near Sulphur Springs. From this position we opened a 
terrible lire, to which the enemy replied with a lire about as 
terrible as our own. Thinking we were in need of railroad 
iron, they sent us some in pieces about ten inches long 
from their guns. These pieces were wound with wire to 
make them fit the bore of their guns, and when they came 
whizzing through the air, they shrieked as though the "old 
boy and his grandmother " were coming to visit us. One 
of these curious missiles struck a gun carriage and smashed 
it to splinters, leaving nothing but the gun uninjured. 

When about half of the advancing column had passed the 
Battery s posititin, I left the Battery and galloped on to Sul- 
phur Springs to find a better position. Finding one, 1 re- 
turned and ordered the Battery forward. Just as it started 
the enemy redoubled their fire, but it went on ]iiece after 



6o REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

piece in fine style. Once in a position behind a building in 
Sulphur Springs, tne enemy lost their hold on the Battery, 
while our troops, protected from the enemy by the Battery's 
fire from this position, passed in safety. Capt. R. B. 
Hampton' Battery F, Penn. Art. here joined us as our sup- 
port, and then we were abundantly able to hold this impor- 
tant position. The Battery was then ordered to advance in 
the direction of Waterloo Bridge to get on the enemy's flank. 
Just as it started Lieut. Standish with his two guns reported 
back from his work with Gen. Bayard's cavalry. It soon 
reached the position assigned to it. Here it remained until 
2 p. M. , when I was ordered with four pieces to follow the 
advance of the ist Army Corps towards the Bridge. When 
we had arrived at a point one mile distant from the Bridge, 
we haltetl and went into bivouac on the road in company 
with the advance guard. 

On the 25th, Hampton's and Roemer's batteries were 
ordered to proceed to Waterloo Bridge. Hampton's Battery 
was alone in action until 2:30 p. m. , at which hour Roemer's 
Battery was ordered forward, for that was the time when 
the infantry had been ordered to burn the Bridge, under the 
protection of our guns from the enemy's combined artillery 
and infantry fire. Gen. Milroy, commanding the Independ" 
ent Brigade, ncnv ordered the infantry forward to burn the 
Bridge. This advance of the infantry was a signal for the 
enemy to make a general attack upon our whole line to 
IM'cvent the destruction of the Bridge. Gen. Alih-oy now 
ordered the Battery to take position with the left wing, but 
Gens. Sigel and Schurz countermanded the order. We had, 
therefore, to remain with the riglit wing to draw the enemy's 
fire and shelter the infantry. Vov a considerable time the 
Battery peppered the Johnnies across the river well : it had 
no notion of allowing them to bother the infantrv who were 
trying to execute the order to burn the Bridge. Both 



SECOND BULL RUN. 6 1 

Hampton's and Roemer's batteries were hard at work ; they 
succeeded not only in keeping the infantry, but the artillery 
as well, from coming near the river. The artillery tried 
several times to advance their pieces, but after each attempt 
they retreated to a safer position. These retreats gave us 
to understand they had respect for us and that our hre was 
too much for them. 

At last, the Bridge was successfully fired by our troops, 
but we still kept a close watch upon the rebels who did not 
seem to be satisfied. About 7 p. m. , they evidently had a 
notion to charge on the burning bridge. Their movements 
were very sly, yet we kept pretty good track of them, and 
thought to take advantage of them. As soon as we saw 
them preparing to charge with both infantry and artillery 
both Hampton's and Roemer's batteries, comprising ten 
pieces, opened a rapid fire upon them. This soon quieted 
them, and, and for the remainder of the night all was quiet 
along their lines, On our side of the Rappahannock, its 
left bank, everthing had become quiet by 7:30 p. m. 

As the Battery boys had not had much time the whole 
day long for anything but fighting and watching, their 
stomachs had not been cared for. I asked some of the 
staff officers if the men could not make coffee. They said, 
"You can do so at your own risk." A sheltered place, 
where, it was thought, the light could not be seen, was 
soon found and a fire started. The coffee was just boiling, 
when the order came to march at once. The temptation 
was too great ; the men all came running up, cup in hand, 
dipped the cup into kettle, then ran to their several places 
each with a cup full of boiling hot coffee. While they were 
mounting their horses, I heard on all sides, various exclam- 
ations ; such as, " But this coffee is hot ! "' " How I burned 
my mouth !" "Whoa, pet, I did not mean to burn y<ni !" 
I was powerless ; I could not order them to throw the 



62 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

coffee away, for I knew what a precious boon it was to 
those tired and worn men. 

At hist all were ready, and the Battery went on through 
the woods. As time went on, the darkness seemed to 
become denser and denser. Every few moments, some 
gun-carriage or caisson would bump against a tree, but the 
coffee had made the men happy and they did not mind the 
discomforts of the march. 

It was at Sulphur Springs, I remember, that we drew our 
first rations of "hard tack." They deserved the name, for 
they were hard, yet, I think, they were very nourishing. 
''Hard tack" with a cup of good hot coffee, every soldier 
fully appreciated, especially when they could not be had. 
The men of Battery L saw many such occasions before the 
war ended. I used to think that a "hard tack" toasted 
before the fire and eaten hot, was better than the best 
pastry. 

During the whole night, the order given to the artillery 
was to take the full step, wherever the roads permitted. 
The Battery reached Warrenton at 4 a. m., August 26th. 
Both men and horses were used up. For twenty-four 
hours, they had scarcely anything to eat. They had been 
marching all night after fighting all day. As soon as the 
Battery halted, the men began scurrying around to get a 
cup of coffee and something to eat for themsehes and then 
to get something for their horses. At 8 .\. m., all com- 
mands were ordered to be ready to nuirch at a moment's 
notice with one day's cooked rations per man, and, during 
the march, to allow both men and In^rscs to lune as much 
rest as ])ossible. 

The saddle-horse presented to me liy the citizens of 
Flushing, had, as stated before, been twice badly wounded 
in the left foreleg at ("edar Mountain, August yth. .My 
young son, Louis II. Roemer, thinking he must and could 



SECOND BULL RUN. 63 

be saved had tried every means in his power to save poor 
"Joe." I now saw that he could not be cured, and as he 
seemed to suffer so much, we sent him into a corntield near 
by and had him sliot. There poor "Joe" was left. The 
gun, wliose carriage had been smaslied at Sulpliur Springs 
by tlie rebel artillery, was sent from Warrenton to Washing- 
ton. 

At 9 A. JL, August 27th, the order came to march at 
once. The whole of Sigel's First Corps took the main road 
to Gainesville. 

When the army had marched four miles beyond Warren- 
ton, it was quite close to the rebel lines. I was now ord- 
ered to have the right section under Lieut. Standish, take 
position in the woods on the right of the main road, and to 
have the three remaining pieces under Lieut. Van Nostrand, 
take position on a hill farther on and on the left of the main 
road. From this commanding position, it being consider- 
ably elevated above the surrounding country which was 
quite level, I could, with my field glass, see all the move- 
ments of the enemy, and also their baggage trains coming 
up. It seemed as if the whole rebel army were right before 
us. They saw our troops advancing and fell back. An 
order now came for me to have the right section, posted on 
the right of the road, move to the more advanced position 
on the hill. This brought the Battery together again. 

Gen. Sigel now rode up to our position and ordered me 
to take one of my sections to a hill farther in front and open 
fire at once. Both Durell's and Roemer's batteries were 
engaged in several skirmishes by sections during the day, 
both on the right and the left of the road. While the troops 
were passing the Gaines" House, some of the staff officers 
remained behind. The two batteries, Durell's and Roe- 
mer's, went on down to lower ground, where we came to a 
brook. Crossing this we found ourselves again on rising 



64 REJIIMSCKXCES OF MAJOR ROEMf:R. 

ground. Some of the enemy's cavalry were right behind 
us. Looking back, we saw some of the officers who had re- 
mained behind, enter the Gaines House. They had no sooner 
entered, than rebel cavalry seemed to spring up all around 
the house, right, left, and rear. We saw the whole affair 
from our position, and were ordered to open tire upon the 
house at once. Durell's battery was on the left of the road 
and Roemer's on the right. The enemy returned our tire 
with four guns. I saw at once that they had a dead shot 
on us, and, finding that the left piece was very much ex- 
posed, I had moved it to a point some forty yards to the 
right of the right piece, behind a clump of cedars, from 
which position the gunner could make a dead shot every 
time. Durell suffered greatly, for he lost one of his lieuten- 
ants and three men. I then advised him to change his 
pieces as I had done. It was not long before we had fired 
the house and silenced the rebel battery with percussion 
shells. The house was burned to the ground. I now felt 
better, but I was very sorry for Capt. Durell's misfortune in 
losing such a fine young officer who was literally torn to 
pieces. So the day passed. As we advanced, we had to 
fight now on the right, no^v on the left. Battery L met 
with no casualties, and fired some sixty rounds. 

The course of events on the 28th was almost the same as 
that on the preceding day, fighting right and left, as we ad- 
vanced along the Gainesville road. Once when a section 
took position in the woods on the right of the road, the 
rebels, who were close at hand, succeeded in capturing 
Sergeant Werner. He was an.t)ld soldier, and, after his 
capture, played his part so well that his ca])tors i)laced con- 
siderable confidence in him and allowed him many liberties. 

About 5 p. M. , Gen. Sigel called for one section of 
Roemer's battery. I went out with tlie section, over a cor- 
duroy road, through a swamp to the top of a conical hill. 



SECOXD BULL RUN. 65 

This hill was surrounded for several miles by swamps, 
which in turn were encircled with woods. Gen. Sigel him- 
self accompanied us to the hill. From this position we 
were to drive the rebels out of the woods. After forty-six 
rounds had been fired Gen. Sigel left the place. 

The section remained in position until 9 p. m., and then 
we made our way back as best we could. The corduroy 
road over which we had gone on our way out, was but 
eight feet wide. It was light when we went out, but now 
it was intensely dark ; we could scarcely see our hands 
before us. We had, therefore, to feel our way. I placed 
men along the edges of the road to prevent cannon-car- 
riages and caissons from going off at the sides. When we 
reached the end of this road, we were all right. Soon we 
struck the main road, and started on our way to the battle- 
ground of the next day. While on the road, whom should 
we meet, but Sergeant Werner, who, as noted before, had 
been captured during the day. He told us that, as the in- 
tense darkness and the dense woods seemed to favor it, he 
thought it best to try to escape. 

When the Battery halted it was about 12:30.4. m. , August 
29th, and as the men had not had much to eat for the past 
four days, and had not had their clothes off for the same 
time, I ordered coffee to be made that they might have some 
little refreshment. We ate of what food we still had on 
hand and then tried to sleep, but an order was now received 
to the effect that the order of the night before, to be ready 
to march at a moments notice, was still in force. 

At 4 A. M. , August 29th, the Battery was ordered to take 
position, at once, at a point in front of a wood, about three- 
quarters of a mile northwest of the Stone House, at Man- 
assas, Va. , with the right wing of the army. On the road 
to our position, we encountered some very peculiar war 
material, in the shape of feminine paraphernalia seldom 



66 REMIXESCENCES OF JACOB ROEMER. 

found on a battle field — hoop-skirts, under clothing, shawls, 
blankets, hammocks, books, papers, pillows, and a variety 
of other knick-knacks, to which the Battery boys took quite 
a fancy. I myself would have liked one of the hammocks, 
but as my General was rig-ht behind me at the time, I did 
not have the face to stop and pick it up. 

At 6 A. M. we changed position and did some firing, then 
changed position again, this time to the extreme right. 
Here, finding the Battery had no infantry support, I sent to 
Gen. Schurz, our Div. Commander, asking for one. He 
sent seven companies of infantry, and, in addition, the 6- 
gun Cohorn "Jackass" Battery, so called because the mor- 
tars were carried by mules. 

Soon after this. Gen. (I cannot recall the name) 

came to me and said: "I want you to take that position 
with your battery," at the same time designating the posi- 
tion. " All right, General," I replied, "but only on your 
responsibility." " What do you mean by that .' " he asked. 
"I mean. General," I answered, "just what I said." "Then 
you won't take the position.''" said he. "I beg your par- 
don. General," said I, "I will take the position to which 
you have assigned me, if not a man or a horse comes from 
it alive, but only on your responsibility." At the same 
time, being greatly excited, I shook my finger in his face. 
(I well knew what our occupation of the designated posi- 
tion would mean for the men and horses). "Don't shake 
your finger at me ! " said he, and then he began to ridicule 
me. Placing my finger on my shoulder-strap. I said : 
"General, you have no right to ridicule me before my men. 
I respect your shoulder-straps, and you must respect mine." 
Stepping back ten or fifteen paces, he beckoned me to come 
to him, and then asked: "Captain, what do you mean by 
saying ' on my responsibility.'' ' " "I mean this," I said, " if 
this Battery is lost as a consequence of taking that position, 



SECOND Bl'LL RUN. 67 

it will be your fault and not mine." "Captain," he then 
asked, " have you looked at any other position.?'' "Gen- 
eral," I answered, " if I had not, I -would not have said 
what I did." Then I will allow you," he said, "to choose 
your own position." Judging- from the generals actions 
that a court martial might be the result of this squabble, I 
called Lieut. Van Nostrand and said, while the general was 
still standing near, " General, this may mean a court mar- 
tial for me, therefore, I want my lieutenant as a witness 
that you have said I could choose my own position. " The 
general replied : "Yes, you can." I thanked the general, 
and he left with the understanding that I was to select my 
own position. I at once moved the five pieces farther to 
the right, near a clump of trees. I posted three pieces just 
in rear of the clump, and the remaining two on the right of 
it, thus showing the rebels two only of five pieces in posi- 
tion. 

By 8 A. M. the battle was fairly opened, especially in the 
center of the line. The ground in front of Battery L was a 
clear field extending out some eight or nine hundred yards 
to a piece of woods, in a downward slope ; on the right the 
ground sloped sharply to the east. As the Battery was fac- 
ing north from this eastern slope, the guns behind the trees 
could not be seen. I had made up my mind, therefore, if a 
charge should be made on the Battery, it would be made 
from the east, on the extreme right flank ; and so it hap- 
pened. 

The enemy evidently thought they would have but two 
pieces of artillery to contend with. On they came, and 
when the two visible pieces were fired, they thought 
there -would be no further trouble, and dashed on in the 
direction of the three concealed pieces. These were all 
ready for the enemy, each being loaded with a double 
charge of canister. Now they were fired, one after the 



68 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

other, and when the third was tired, the two other guns in 
the open, having by this time been reloaded with double 
canister, were also fared one after the other. This proved 
to be too much for them, for they turned to the rear, and 
went back at double-quick to the point whence they had 
started, but to make them run faster, the contents of the 
other three pieces, which had now been reloaded, were sent 
after them. 

Their rapid retreat was witnessed by the infantry, and 
the hurrahs for Battery L that were shouted all along the 
line were deafening. Even the "Jackass" Battery, our re- 
serve, hurrahed for Battery L. General then came 

galloping up in our rear to ascertain the cause of the cheer- 
ing ; he was told about the rebel charge and its sudden end- 
ing, and then all the troops shouted in chorus : " Roemer's 
Battery did the -work. " 

The general galloped up to where I was standing, and, 
extending his hand, said, ''Captain, here is my hand; let 
us be friends as long as the war lasts. I know you now."' 
Since then we have been, indeed, true friends. At a grand 
reunion of the " Burnside Expedition " and the Ninth Corps, 
held at the International Hotel, Niagara Falls, a few years 
after the war, and which I attended with two of my daugh- 
ters, the general told this story, ami he has told it many 
times since. 

Major Kiefer of the Reserve Artillery took to himself all 
the credit that really belonged to Battery L. Riding around 
our position, proud as a peacock, he went out to a big 
stone heap lying some 300 yards north of the knoll on 
which the Battery was posted, and called to me to come to 
him. I re])lied that I had no business out there, and that 
my ])r()per place was with my Battery. He rode around for 
some time, and the enemy resumed their tire. The second 
shot struck his horse which fell, carrying the Major down 



SECOND BILL RUN. 69 

with him. Tlie Major scrambled out and Came running to 
the Battery. Putting on a serious face, I asked: "Major, 
what is the matter.? Where is your hat .'^ " "Why, didn't 
you see my liorse was sliot ? I want one of your men to go 
out and get my saddle and bridle."' "Major," I replied, 
"I never send a man to any place I won't go myself." 
But I turned to the men and said : "Any one of you men 
that is willing to go out and get the Major"s saddle and 
bridle may do so, but I will not order you to go. He had 
no business there, and that is the last of one of our fine 
battery horses. '" The Major's horse really belonged to the 
Battery. No one, however, was willing to take the risk, 
and so the Major did not recover his saddle and bridle. 

By 10 A. M. , the fighting point had moved from the center 
farther to the right. At this time shot reached us from the 
railroad cut, beyond a belt of woods north of our position. 
Up to this time we had met with no losses except that of 
the horse lost by Major Keefer. The Battery's two pieces 
outside of the woods were still in plain sight of the enemy. 
The other three were still kept in the woods ready to do 
any M'cjrk that occasion might require, and yet were so 
sheltered that no shot could be aimed directly at them. 

Our infantry were brought up to charge upon the railroad 
cut in our front, both in the center of our lines and towards 
the left. Soon the rattle of musketry and the booming of artil- 
lery increased in severity. This warned us of what might 
be expected from the enemy on the left, for they were evi- 
dently warming up to their work, and, though they had 
been silent the whole morning, were now smelling powder. 
Twelve o'clock came, but with it came no signs of dinner, 
and the appearance of things seemed to warrant the con- 
clusion that no dinner would come. 

The center of fighting passed from right to left and back 
again without cessation. At the railroad cut, especially, 



70 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the lighting was terrific. Reinforcements were brought up 
and into the woods they went, but it seemed as if more 
dead bodies and wounded men were brought out than there 
had been living men sent in, at least, it seemed so to us. 
Thus we knew the place was a real slaughter pen. I have 
positive knowledge of the First Corps' line only, on which 
line Battery L held the right. 

The fighting was still going on at half-past two, when 
Capt. Schirmer came up to say that Capt. Hampton's Bat- 
tery F, Pa. Art, would relieve Battery L, which was to go 
back east of the Stone House, there to refresh men and 
horses, but to be kept in readiness for any emergency. The 
Battery went to that place and at once prepared to make 
coffee, but before this could be accomplished, an aide gal- 
loped up and asked what battery it was. " This is Battery 
L, 2d N. Y. ," I replied. "You are ordered to report to 
Gen. Sigel,'' continued he. "From whom does this order 
come .'*" I asked. " From Gen. Pope, " he replied. "^^'ell," 
said I, "that is strange. I passed Gen. Pope on the hill 
yonder but ten minutes ago. Capt. Schirmer, our Chief of 
Artillery, had just then ordered us here." "Well, Captain," 
said he, "I have given you the order as I was told to give 
it. " 

I then told Lieut. Standish to discontinue the coft'ee mak- 
ing and await further orders. I called my orderly, mounted 
my horse, and in company with the aide, galloped over to 
Gen. Pope. Saluting him, I asked if he had given orders 
for me to report to Gen. Sigel, and he said he had. " Well, 
General," said I, "allow me to say that Capt. Schirmer has 
just relieved the Battery. It has been in position since 
four o'clock this morning." "I am sorry, Captain, but 
Gen. Sigel wants your battery." "Where can I see Gen. 
Sigel.'" I incpured. "There he goes towards our left," the 
General answered. I saluted and rode off with my orderly 



SECOND BULL Rl'X. 7 1 

at full gallop and soon caught up with Gen. Sigel. One of 
the aides, seeing me coming, spoke to Gen. Sigel, who 
faced about just as I rode up. I said, "General, I have the 
honor to report Battery L, 2d N. Y." " Capt. Roemer," 
said he, " I thank you."' "Capt. Dahlgren," he continued, 
speaking to an aide, "you will accompany Capt. Roemer 
to the left immediately. Capt. Schirmer's Battery has been 
annihilated, and that position must be held at all hazards." 
This was said with great emphasis. "But, General," I 
said, " my men and horses are all used up." " Nevermind 
men or horses," said he ; "how many rounds of ammuni- 
tion have you.?" "Five hundred," I answered. "That 
will do, Captain," he said, "and, as I said before, that posi- 
tion must be held at all hazards." 

As Capt. Dahlgren and I wheeled to the left, the Cap- 
tain turned to me and said, "Capt. Roemer, I am sorry for 
your battery. " Knowing full well what he meant, I replied, 
"Captain, if I die to-day, I won't have to die to-morrow." 
"Capt. Roemer," said he, "I wish I could say so." "Well, 
said I, "all I wish is, if I must die, to sell the Battery as 
dearly as possible." I sent my orderly to bring the Bat- 
tery westward. I then said to Capt. Dahlgren, " I will take 
the opportunity, before the Battery comes up, to look over 
the ground I will have to occupy. The enemy have ten 
pieces with which to attack the position, while I have but 
five with which to defend it ; the odds against me are very 
great." I did not at all like the position we were to take. 
There was a little farm-house on the southern slope of the 
hill, and I saw at once, that that place would be a splendid 
position for the Battery in its contest with the ten rebel 
guns, as it afforded more protection. Just before the Bat- 
tery came up, I called Capt. Dahlgren's attention to the 
position, and, telling him it was the best position possible 
for the Battery, asked him to allow me to take it in prefer- 



72 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

ence to the one the general had ordered me to take. " Here," 
said I, "I can shield both men and horses, and even my 
ammunition will l)e half covered from the enemy s fire. I'll 
fix the ten rebel g-uns if you will let me stay here." Finally 
he consented. To save time in getting the Battery into 
position, I ordered the cannoneers to the front with 
axes. After cutting down chicken-coops, hog-pens, corn- 
cribs, etc., the Battery went through the door yard into a 
fine orchard, which gave the Battery a splendid position. 
We had fired but three or four shots, when an aide came 
galloping up the hill towards us. He brought orders for 
the Battery to take the position that had been occupied by 
Capt. Schirmer's Battery. I knew we must obey, so, after 
giving the order to "cease firing," I rode in front of the 
men and said : "Boys, it is no longer of any use to keep 
from you what may be in store for us. Before the sun sets 
to-night, many of you may have given up your lives ; per- 
haps I myself will have to, Init all I have to say is — Die 
like men ; do not run like cowards. Stick to your guns, 
and, with the help of God and our own exertions, we may 
get through. Forward, march." 

We went west about half a mile, and then came to a 
sunken road on the right, with a bank on its eastern side 
about seven feet high. The cut through tlie road would 
allow but one carriage to pass at a time. Capt. Dahlgren 
antl I rode forward to be at the head of the column, (iuns 
and caissons followed immediately. Soon all hatl entered 
and were passing through. The enemy had calculated 
upon this from the moment we left our former position and 
entered the road. Just as sot)n as we emerged from the 
road, they were ready for us. Shot and shell Hew thick 
and fast. I took in the situation at a glance and knew they 
would have a chance to destroy us utterly. I raised my 
right hand to Heaven, and said to myself, "(lood-bye to 



SECOND BULL RUN. 73 

all the dear ones at home, for I will not see the sun set to- 
night. " I gave the order, " Come on, trot, march. Gallop, 
march. "" To get over the plain as quickly as possible. While 
passing a small belt of woods, the enemy opened upon 
us from it, and while we were taking position, they had us at 
their mercy and opened fire upon our left flank. 

This was too much for me. I rushed forward, raised my 
saber, and, after saying to Capt. Dahlgren, " The command 
is mine," gave the order. "Head of column to the right. 
Follow me. Each sergeant will command his own piece." 
We were right in front of the enemy as we went back to 
our former position, and at the mercy of their ten pieces. 
We had to go back to save the Battery. I gave the orders 
as I did, that we might get back as speedily as possible, no 
matter how we went. On we went, pell-mell, over fences, 
stone-walls — everything had to give way before us. We 
were back in our former position in just twenty-five minutes 
after we had left it. I put the right piece on the western 
side of the garden fence just where it had stood before, but 
instead of placing the guns fourteen yards apart as before, I 
now placed them forty yards apart, so that the enemy 
would have to tire directly at each piece to do any damage. 
On looking around, I found that three guns only had fol- 
lowed me. One of my lieutenants had turned left instead 
of right in the sunken road and gone down Manassas Val- 
ley into the bushes, thinking, no doubt, that to be a safer 
place. I placed the three pieces, so that it was eighty 
yards from the right piece to the left one. 

Capt. Dahlgren came up to the center gun, where I was 
standing, and said, "Capt. Roemer, you cannot stand this 
fare thirty minutes. I will hasten to Gen. Sigel and ask 
him to send a battery to assist you." I said to him, "Do 
so, and, meanwhile, I will try my best to overcome the 
rebel fire, although, you know. Captain, ten to three is very 



74 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

great odds." The sergeant asked me, "What fuse shall we 
use?" I told him to wait a little, and I would ascertain 
what the enemy were using. They had four rifles and six 
twelve-pound Napoleons. I took out my watch and timed 
them. I soon ascertained they were using 8-second fuses, 
while their shells exploded half a mile in our rear. I then 
ordered my men to use 5-second fuses with forty yards cut- 
off. As soon as the three pieces had been sighted by their 
respective gunners, I said, "Boys, the life of the Battery 
hangs on the first and second shots. I want young Bell to 
look over these pieces before they are fired. I want them 
all aimed at the cherry tree you can see from here. '' After 
looking over the three guns. Bell pronounced them all right. 
Taking my field glass, I knelt down beside the center piece 
and gave the command, "Fire. "" As if fired from a single 
gun, the three shells went whizzing through the air. 1 was 
triumphant, for the execution was great. I said to the men, 
"That was first rate, let them know this is Battery L, 2nd 
N. Y. " Immediately, the guns were reloaded, and again 
sighted by Bell. Again I knelt with my glass and com- 
manded, "Fire." I dropped my glass, ran up on the trail 
of the gun, and shouted, "Hurrah! Hurrah for I3attery L! 
Their ten pieces are retreating before our three. The day 
is ours, boys, give it to them now." Just then Capt. Dahl- 
gren came up from our rear, and greeted me with, "Well, 
Capt. Roemer, how do you stand it.?" "Well, Captain," I 
replied, " every man and horse of Battery L still stands on 
his own legs, and yet the Johnnies have put 500 yards more 
space between us and themselves." "You have done 
well," said he, "Capt. Ham])ton was to come to your sup- 
port, but I understand he has lost two pieces in the ])()siti()n 
where he relieved your battery. " 

It was now near 5 p. m., and we had completely the upjier 
hantl of the enemy's ten-gun battery. Our first two battery 



SECOND BULL RUN. 75 

fires had cost them 30 horses and ahiiost the same number 
of men. By 5.30 p. m. , Battery L had had no casualties 
among either men or horses, and had s(j far during- this 
engagement fired 207 rounds. 

Capt. Hampton now reported with two pieces and took 
position on my left. Just as he was nK>ving into position, 
a shell struck one of his pieces, killed three h(jrses, and 
wounded several of his men very severely. At this time 
also, my brave (.-') lieutenant, who had sought shelter in 
the bushes, finding we had so far silenced the ten-gun bat- 
tery, came up. The ten-gun battery still kept up a desultory 
fire, but by 7 p. m., they were using one gun only and tliat 
very feebly. 

After 7 p. M. , Battery L was relieved by order of (jen. 
Sigel, who, after complimenting it, ordered it, as soon as it 
was relieved, to go to the rear camp and refresh men 
and horses, a privilege to which the Battery was fully 
entitled for having held the forlorn hope so bravely on the 
battle-field, during the whole afternoon. This compliment 
from Gen. Sigel, the boys felt, fully repaid them for all the 
anxiety and hardship they had experienced during the day. 
The Battery marched to the rear camp to enjoy one good 
meal that should be dinner and supper together, and, if 
possible, to obtain one good night's rest for both men and 
horses. At 7:30 p. m. , the only casualties that had occurred 
in Battery L, were two men slightly wounded, and one 
horse killed. 

One of the strange things that sometimes occur during a 
battle, happened to Private Billy Green on this day. A shi)t 
of some kind passed and Billy either took his cap off, or it 
was knocked off, at any rate, he was standing with his cap 
in his hand. Looking at me, he said, "Sure, Captain, 
them Johnnies have shot the 'L' off me cap.'" "Never 
mind, Billy," said I, " I will give you another one." Billy 



76 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

was No. I of his gun detachment, and handled the ramrod 
in loading the gun. One of the enemy"s shells struck the 
ground about eight feet in front of him, entered the earth, 
and passed under him, compelling hirai to turn a complete 
somersault. He scrambled up, looked around and then 
at me. "Billy, are you hurt.?" I asked. "No, Captain," 
he replied. "Well, Billy," said I, "what have you done 
to the Johnnies, that they pick you out for a target.? first, 
they take the ' L' off your cap and then they try to make a 
circus actor of you. They don't trouble the other boys." 
"Sure, Captain," lie replied, " I don't know what they want 
with me. Faith, I never meant them any harm." "Well, 
Billy," said I, "all I have to say is — give it to them. I 
don't want them to insult my best cannoneer." 

By 8 p. M., we were all settled in camp. Billy Howard, 
the Battery cook, had made all preparations for our supper, 
which consisted of coftce and crackers. I tohl him to give 
the men (piantity, if he could not give quality, to make the 
coffee hold cnit so they could haA'c all they wanted to soak 
their crackers in. I was thankful that there was plenty of 
water to be had. We had a good night's rest, anil, in the 
morning felt quite fresh and thoroughly rested. 

At 5 A. M. , August 30th, the Battery reported as reserve, 
at the crossroads under the hill in rear of where it had been 
in ]-)osition the previous day. The Battery was mounted at 
8 A. M. , and was held in readiness for instant action. While 
it was still waiting for orders, at 10:30 a. m., a number of 
infantry regiments passed. Among them were the 9th 
N. V. S. M. (83d N. Y. V.)* and " Duryea's Zouaves," (5th 
N. Y. ^^ ) t ^^'hiIe the former was ])assing, when they 
learned that we were the Mushing I^attery, cheers for the 

* III .''(1 Brifi., 2(1 I>iv., 'riiinl Army Corjis. 
f In i'd ])ri,ir., lid Oiv., I^'ifth .\rmv Corps. 



SF.COXD BULL RUN. 77 

Battery came from the Flushing bo)^s in the regiment. 
Prince. Howard, Cassady, Hicks and others whom we hatl 
entertained at Warrenton, were as glad to see us as we were 
to see them. Then came the Zouaves. I can yet see the 
smiling face of Corporal CjCo. Huntsman, as he passed in 
red jacket and tasseled cap. When he saw the Battery he 
gave the regimental cheer, three times three and a tiger. 
This tiower of Flushing marched away to the left (I watched 
him as long as I could) and to death. He gave his life 
for a noble cause, but the sacrifice was great. Before the 
sun sank below the western horizon, the blooming cheeks 
of the morning had become ashen pale ; he died for his 
country. This was the first sacrifice Flushing was called 
upon to make. When I heard the news of his death my 
heart went out to his mother. I was thankful that I had 
had that opportunity of seeing familiar faces. How they 
inspire one, these chance meetings, in the intervals ot war. 
At 11:30 A. M., the ambulance arrived from the rear camp 
with dinner. Sergeant Heasley had the bugle dinner call 
sounded at once. Dinner was soon over and apparently 
none too soon, for, by the firing, the battle seemed to be 
on, and we might be called at any moment. Just then 
Capt. Rawolle, formerly of Battery L, rode over from 
Headquarters to learn how we had fared the preceding day. 
I invited him to the ambulance to have a cup of coffee with 
us. We were just drinking it when Gen. Schurz galloped 
up. "Capt. Roemer," said he, "I want your Battery 
immediately. I have a battery up on the hill that isn't 
worth a cent." I mounted my horse, said "(}ood-bye" 
to Capt. Rawolle, and rode off with Gen. Schurz to survey 
the ground. While looking over the position, 1 learned 
that the drivers of the battery Gen. Schurz had named, had 
turned so short that they had upset the gun, broken the 
limber pole, and found themselves unable either to unhitch 



yS REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the horses or right the gun. I saw there was no time to 
lose, and had Battery L come up into Hne the best way it 
could amid the debris. 

Battery L then formed behind the other, piece by piece, 
left into action, and opened lire at once. Of course, the 
enemy had seen the mishap, and had redoubled their fire, 
but when we gave them two shots by battery, from all five 
pieces, that seemed to paralyze them. Then they brought 
more artillery to bear upon us, and pushed their infantry 
also against us, but, as we had no idea of allowing this, we 
soon caused the latter to fall back. By this time we were 
having shots aimed at us from several directions. We had 
had an infantry support but we learned later that they had 
deserted us. Suddenly, Gen. Schurz appeared on the scene 
and ordered us to limber to the rear, then to proceeed left 
into a hollow, because the enemy were coming in on the right. 

It was then that I discovered the desertion of the infantry 
supports. They had left some three hundred muskets lying 
around on the ground. I learned from Gen. Schurz, where 
he wished to place the Battery, and then started to go across 
the valley to Benjamin's battery on the hill. We had to 
pass over these discarded muskets, and while passing, some 
of our men stopped to pick some up. I called to them, 
"Throw tliose muskets down. 1 don't want any of my 
boys to touch much less take one of those cowards' mus- 
kets. I woukl not have you disgrace yourselves so. Drive 
over them." While passing through the Manassas "Valley, 
the heavy rattle of musketry and booming of cannon gave 
me to understand that the left wing was being heavily 
pressed by the enemy, and that most likely some of us 
would have holes in our jackets or trousers before the day 
was over. 

While ascending the hill, I gave the order, "Battery, 
front into line," so it could take its position in Hne at once. 



SECOND BULL RUN. 79 

Coming up to level ground, I saw that the 6th Me. Battery 
held the right, and that Battery L"s position was to be to the 
right of this battery, in close quarters to the enemy's line, 
and, as I thought, only from six to seven hundred yards 
from it. I now gave the commands, "By battery, left 
wheel. Halt. Action rear, horses facing to the rear. Cais- 
sons, pass your pieces. Commence tiring." Bullets, shot 
and shell iiew like hail in a heavy storm. We were getting 
some of them, too, for bullets were dropping all around and 
shells were ploughing up the ground. ]\Ien were tumbling, 
and horses falling, and it certainly looked as though " de 
kingdom was a-coming. " Our ammunition was getting 
very low. When we iirst went into position, there were 56 
shots in the limber chests, but in ten minutes these had all 
been spent. The sergeants successively reported, "out ot 
ammunition,"" but in a low tone that the infantry might not 
hear. just as the last sergeant reported, the order came, 
"Artillery to the rear, infantry to the front."" I ordered 
Battery L, " Limber to the rear, march."" I think that was 
the quickest limber to the rear the Battery ever made. The 
commands given to the Battery both on going into position 
and on leaving it, as given above, were ne\'er given by me 
at any other time during the whole war. When the guns 
are in such position as they were by the orders given at 
going into position, and the commands, "Cease tiring, 
Limber to the rear,"" are given, the cannoneers simjily lift 
the trails of their respective guns and hook them up to the 
limbers. If the same orders are given, when facing tront, 
the horses have to be turned around before the trails can be 
hooked to the limbers, and this takes more time. Thus 
we were the first to get away, for it took the 6th Me. three 
times as long as it did us, at least, so I was informed after- 
wards. In consequence of this delay, they lost nine- 
teen men taken prisoners, and had two pieces captured. 



8o REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Thus it is evident wliat quick action during- an eng-agement 
may accomplisli. 

Tlie Battery fell back about seventy-five or eighty yards 
and went into position in battle array. Many shots from 
the enemy were received, but no reply could be made. 
Gen. McDowell with his staff rode up and inquired in an 
excited tone, "Captain, why don't you fire.'*" I went to 
him and whispered in his ear, " Not a shot in the ammuni- 
tion chests, General." He turned quickly and asked, "Does 
the infantry know of this .^ " "No, General," I replied, 
"iiut I have picked up seven of the enemy's unexploded 
shells; shall I fire them.?" "No," he replied, "but don't 
let the infantry get wind of the fact that you are out of 
ammunition." "Very well. General," said I, "I would 
like to ha\'e some. Is there any possibility of getting any .? " 
" I will try and send you some," he answered. "But here 
is my aide, who has reported that you drew your saber 
against him, when he told you he would report you. You 
said he could report you to the devil. " "That is all true. 
General,'' 1 replied, " but did your aide recount the circum- 
stances that made me say that ? My Battery was in posi- 
tion with the pieces quite widely separated. ]My men were 
doing their best to support the infantry. "S'our aide went to 
the sergeant commanding the left piece and ordered him to 
cease firing, as he was firing on our own troops. At the 
time I was with the right piece. Noticing that the left gun 
had ceased firing, I galloped o\'er to ascertain the cause and 
asked the sergeant what was the matter. He said this 
officer had ordered him to cease firing. I then said to the 
sergeant : • I command this battery. Ojien fire again at 
once.' I then returned to my i)lace with the right piece. 
This same otficer again went to my sergeant and ordered him 
to cease firing, hut the sergeant then told him that he (the 
officer) had nothing to do with him ; and that he (the ser- 



SECOND BULL RUN. 8 1 

geant) took orders from his Captain only. Your aide then 
asked where I was and the sergeant directed him. Your 
aide came up to me and said, 'Cease firing witli your bat- 
tery. You are firing on our own troops.' 'What do you 
say.?' said I, 'cease tiring.' Who are you, anyhow.-*' 
'I am on the staff of Gen. McDowell,' he replied. 'Well,' 
said I, ' if you are, that gives you no right to come here 
and accuse my sergeant and myself of tiring on our own 
troops. I want you to leave.' At the same time I wheeled 
my horse, grasped my saber, and went up to him. He then 
said he would report me and I said what I did. 1 was in 
the position 1 was holding, by order of Gen. Schurz, and 
my officers and men can verify my statemeiit as to what 
was said and done." "Well," said Gen. ■McDowell, "if 
that is the case, Captain, it is all right." "No, General," 
said I, "it is not all right." "Well, what else do you 
want.''" the General inquired. "I can't recognize this 
man," said I, "as an officer on your staff, unless he apol- 
ogizes for the insult put by him on my sergeant and myself 
on yonder battle-ground. " Gen. ^McDowell then turned to 
the young man and said : "If what Captain Roemer says is 
true, you are in duty bound to ask his pardon. Be more 
careful in future, how ycju approach this old artillery officer." 
The aide shook hands with me and said, "Captain Roemer, 
I beg your pardon. '' 

This incident being satisfactoril}^ closed, I turned my 
attention to the matter of replenishing my ammunition. 
Through Gen. McDowell I obtained fifty rounds, but was 
ordered not to fire unless necessary. The Battery remained 
in this position until sundown, firing an occasional shot. 
Some shots were fired at the Battery from various points. 
One of these shells coming our way, exploded near where 
I was sitting on my horse. The latter immediately began 
plunging and rearing. Thinking this was occasioned by 



82 REMIXESCEXCES OF JACOB ROEIIER. 

frig-ht on his part I gave him the spur, but he did not go 
forward, on the contrary, he reared so high that he nearly- 
overbalanced himself. I threw myself forward upon his 
neck and spurred him again. He then plunged forwards 
nearly striking Lieut. Van Nostrand. The lieutenant turned, 
grabbed the horse's bridle, and said, " For God's sake, Cap- 
tain, don"t spur your horse, his right fore-leg is cut off." I 
dismounted in a hurry to consider the damage, and found 
the hoof split and the fetlock cut. I called for a grain bag 
and bound up the leg as well as I could. just then one of 
the men standing near said, "Captain, what is the matter.? 
There is blood coming from your leg." I clapped my hand 
right on the spot where the wound was. Then it occurred 
to me, that, at the time my horse was struck and made his 
first spring, I struck the saddle, as I thought, but when I 
saw the blood, I realized that I had been wounded in the 
right thigh. 

During this battle, generally known as the Second Battle 
of Bull Run or Manassas, August 29-30, 1862, the casualties 
ill Battery L were fourteen enlisted men wounded (includ- 
ing Sergeant Adam Wirth, mortalh^ wounded) besides my- 
self, three horses killed, and twenty-one wounded. 

While we were in our last position, I saw one of our 
infantry officers lying on the ground right in front of the Bat- 
tery, and with my glass, I could see he was absolutely 
helpless. I called J. N. Mosser, the ambulance driver, and 
sent him out with two men who volunteered to go, and the 
ambulance, to bring in the officer. They went bravely 
out, put the officer into the ambulance, and turned around 
to return, but just at that moment a cannon shot came and 
struck it, killed one horse, smashed the front a.xle of the 
ambulance, and also turned it upside down. The two men 
made their way back to the I^attery as fast as their legs 
could carry them, but Mosser, the wounded officer, the 



SECOND BULL RUN. 83 

ambulance and one horse fell into the hands of the enemy. 

Within these two days, the Battery expended 121 7 rounds 
of ammunition. At 7 p. m., August 30, an aide brought an 
order for the Battery to guard the crossing of Manassas 
Brook or Young's Branch, until all the troops had passed. 
Here it remained until 2 a. m., of the 31st, when it marched 
to the Stone Bridge arriving there at 8 a. m. Here it was 
ordered to remain and guard the bridge. A heavy rain 
storm now set ii^ and the men were very hungry. On the 
preceding day, all our baggage wagons had been sent on to 
Alexandria for safety as the enemy were close at hand. We 
had nothing to fall back upon and all must go hungry until 
" Massa Lincum " sent us something from Washington. We 
had plenty of time for eating but had nothing to eat. This 
was a sad state of affairs. Our Flushing friends would 
have thought so if they could have seen the eager faces of 
the troops watching and hoping that food would soon 
arrive. On the road from JManassas to Centerville, were 
thousands of stragglers asking everybody they met for a 
piece of bread. If they could buy it, they did. but if they 
could not, they would try to steal it. 

I rode out and came to a row of log huts. Here I 
thought I might find something for my men, but the men 
here were equally as destitute as my own. I saw a man 
come out of one of the huts with a large piece of salt pork, 
(something I never cared for at home). The sight of it 
made my mouth water. I reined up and asked the man if 
he would give me a piece of it. He looked at me and said, 
" Capt. Roemer, you can have it all. " "No, my son," I 
replied, "I won't take it from you. If you will give me a 
piece an inch \vide, I will be satisfied, ' "Captain, " said he 
"I have no knife to cut it." So I pulled out my own knife 
which he took and cut off the desired piece. I ate that 
piece of salt pork with enjoyment. It seemed as though I 



Si REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

had never eaten anything sweeter. I reahzed the truth of 
the okl proverb, "Hunger is the best sauce." I rode on 
further, found the Quartermaster and tokl him if he did not 
send me rations for my men, they wouhl butcher him. He 
asked where the Battery was stationed. I told him it was 
at the vStone Bridge. He then and there promised he wouhl 
send double rations both for my men and myself. Just at 
the same moment, word came that rations had arrived from 
Washington. The Quartermaster then told me that on that 
morning, he had not had a single ration in store. I now rode 
rapidly back to the Battery, and when I told them the good 
news, the smiling faces that greeted me, gave me great 
pleasure. 

At about II A. M., that Sunday morning, the double 
rations arrived. These were soon cooked and the men of 
the Battery were soon making merry over their great feast. 
Not only Battery L but all the other troops here suffered 
greatly for want of food. 



CHAPTER IV. 



AxTiETAM. Fredericksburg. 

The Battery marched on September ist, from the Stone 
Bridge six miles, to Centreville, where it replenished its 
supply of ammunition with 290 rounds of fixed ammunition 
and 321 rounds of blank cartridges. September 2nd, it left 
Centreville in a blinding rain-storm for Fairfax C. H., ^vhere 
it arrived at 12 m. on the 3d. The same day at i p. m. , the 
enemy attacked our flank quite sharply and followed us on 
our retreat to Langley, which was reached at 2 a. m. on the 
4th, after fighting all the way. The march was continued 
the same day to the Chain Bridge, fighting the enemy by 
sections, the whole distance. The Battery, however, suf- 
fered no casualties. It marched on the 5th, twelve miles to 
Tenallytown, where it encamped for the night. On the 6th, 
it marched to Rockville ten miles distant, and went into 
camp for two days. During this time, I went to Washing- 
ton to bring back the piece that had been sent from Warren- 
ton in a disabled condition for repairs, on August 25th, and 
also to draw the stores and ammunition, the Battery still 
needed. While I was absent from the Battery, two sections 
were ordered to join the command of Gen. D. N. Couch. 

September 8th the Battery was transferred from the ist 
Corps (Sigel's) back to the 2d Corps (Banks's), to which it 
was first assigned. I returned from Washington, Septem- 
ber loth, and on the iith, the Battery joined the other bat- 



86 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

teries and marched twenty miles to Poolesvillc, then ten 
miles to Barnesville, and afterwards to Noland's Ferry, 
where it encamped. One section was with Gen. Couch, 
and another was engaged in guarding the Ferry in company 
with Col. Neal's Cavalry and the 36th N. Y. Inf. 

September 15th, I received orders to bring the Battery 
together, one section from Point of Rocks, and one from 
Monocacy, by the i6th, and then, to report to the com- 
manding officer of the Ninth Army Corps. On the 17th, 
the Battery was ordered to follow Gen. Hartranft's Brigade, 
consisting of the 51st N. Y., 51st Pa., and the 21st ]\Iass. 
to take the stone bridge over Antietam Creek, since known 
as Burnside's Bridge. The fighting at the storming of the 
bridge was terrific. When the bridge was carried, the Bat- 
tery followed the 21st Mass. over it, then turned sharply to 
the left and then to the right to ascend the steep west bank. 
As it was about to pass along the road, the dead bodies of 
thirty-seven men and a colonel were found lying in it, 
right in the way. They Avere removed so that the guns 
woukl not have to run over them. The Battery then turned 
to the right in rear of a house and went into position facing 
in the direction of the cornfield and the school house, and 
opened fire. 

The school house stood where the Antietam and Sharps- 
burg roads cross, thus making the point a most important 
one for either side to hold, and the fighting at that place, as 
shown by the number of dead and wounded lying around, 
of both armies, that had fallen there, was truly frightful. 
The road passing the school house is very wide ; it seemed 
to me, to be fully one hundred feet in width. From our 
position, we had a good view of both this road and the 
cornfield, and hence could ])lain]y see the hand to hand 
contest between the blue and the gray that took place there. 
At times, it seemed as if our army must lose the day. 



ANTIETAM. 87 

At about 5 P. M., as I understood, Gen. Burnside sent to 
Gen. ]\IcClellan, a request for reinforcements to the extent 
of two or three thousand men to push our line forward. 
Gen. McClellan answered in person, after crossing with his 
staff the bridge taken by Gen. Hartranft's Brigade. Gen. 
McClellan told Gen. Burnside he could not possibly give 
him the reinforcements desired, and that Gen. Burnside 
should simply hold his line and not attempt to press forward 
too much. From that time on, therefore, our line was not 
pushed forward, and, although the lighting continued until 
sundown, we simply maintained our position. I received 
orders to be ready to march at 5 a. m. , on the i8th, but the 
order to march did not come until the 19th. 

After the battle, I went around to look at the destruction 
wrought by it. I examined the fences on either side of that 
wide roadway, and found each twelve foot rail for some 
distance had been struck by bullets, some by two, others 
by five, six, eight and ten, and some even by fifteen. The 
school house had been so perforated through and through 
by cannon balls that, it seemed to me, there was scarcely 
a whole brick in the building. The shots must have been 
thick and heavy. I could see pieces of brick and mortar 
scattered from fifty to a hundred yards away all around 
from southeast to west. 

The wound in my leg had been very painful during the 
last_ two hours of the battle. I had been in the saddle 
almost constantly for the last two days, and this, no doubt, 
had greatly aggravated it, and then the wetting I had 
received at Sandy Hook, where I had been obliged to swim 
across the canal, was a still greater aggravation. In fact, 
I suffered so much, that I wished a bullet would hit me and 
end it all. On the morning of the i8th, Capt. Rawolle, my 
old lieutenant, rode over from Headquarters, and invited me 
to ride over the battle field with him. I had to decline and 



88 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

told him my leg was so painful I could not sit in the saddle. 
He asked to see my leg, and I showed it to him. It was 
black and blue. He had no sooner seen it than he called 
for his horse. He soon returned with Dr. Thompson, 
Medical Director of the Ninth Corps (and, by the way, a 
former resident of Flushing Township, living on the 
" Thompson Farm," just outside of Flushing Village). The 
doctor examined my leg and then asked, " How, under 
heaven, could you ride a horse with a leg like that ? '' Then 
he continued, "I order you to your tent for four weeks, and 
if you come out before that time is up, I will have you 
court martialed for neglecting yourself." It was twenty- 
one days before I could use my leg again. 

After the examination was over, Capt. Rawolle was 
anxious to know how I had managed to contract such a 
cold in my wound. I then told him the whole story as 
follows : "After receiving the order to bring the sections of 
the Battery together, I started out with my orderly, Cor- 
poral Rierson, for that purpose. We had to go to Mono- 
cacy. Point of Rocks and Frederick City. While on the 
road to Harpers Ferry, we learned that the enemy had 
burned the bridge across the Potomac. We were then on 
the towpath of the canal, between the canal and the river. 
When we reached the place opposite Harper's Ferry, we 
found ourselves unable to cross the canal on account of the 
debris of the burned bridge. It was quite dark, yet I per- 
ceived some infantry on the other side of the river. I called 
out to them, " Hallo, what regiment is that.? " In answer, 
we received several shots accompanied by the remark, "If 
it was only daylight, we would show you, you Yankee sons 
of guns, what regiment we belong to." I then said to 
Rierson, ' Now we know how the land lies. All we can 
do is to go back to Sandy Hook and swim the canal.' We 
retraced our steps some three miles, to a place where there 



ANTIETAM. 89 

was a sloping descent to the canal. I went in tirst and the 
corporal followed. Wet from head to foot we lay all night 
in our wet clothes, waiting for the morning light, to go on. 
That is my story, Captain, and now I don't think you will 
wonder that my leg is so badly swollen. Furthermore, the 
strain of yesterday's light did not improve it any." Capt. 
Rowelle now left me, after telling me to obey the surgeon's 
orders to the letter. 

September i8th, orders were received to be in the saddle 
ready to move at 4 a. m. The Battery was held thus ready 
all day. On the 18th, it fell Imck from the battlefield of 
Antietam. During the day it fired 87 rounds and suffered 
no casualties. Three days after the battle, the stench aris- 
ing from the dead bodies of men and horses, became so great 
that nearly every one in the surrounding country became 
sick. In many cases these dead bodies, both of men and 
horses, had swelled to double their normal size. One could 
easily distinguish the Union dead from the Confederate 
dead ; the former were white while the latter were black. 
This was caused, it was said, by the want of salt exper- 
ienced by the Confederates, who had had but very little for 
a long time. 

From here, the Battery marched September 20th, to 
Darnestown to join Gen. Couch's command, and remained 
there three days in camp. It marched on the 26th under 
orders to join Gen. Banks's command, to Sharpsburg, Md. , 
eight miles distant, camping there for the night, and the 
next day, went to Sandy Hook, Md. , and joined Gen. 
Banks's command. It left Sandy Hook, October 4th, to join 
the Ninth Corps of Gen. Burnside and arrived at the camp 
of that Corps near Antietam Creek during the evening in a 
rain storm. The next day, it was inspected by Capt. 
Rawolle, and as a result of this inspection, about one-half 
of the ammunition was condemned. On this same date, 



90 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

October 4, 1862, the Battery was formally attached to the 
Ninth Corps, commanded by Maj.-Gen. A. E. Burnside, and 
with which it remained during- the rest of the war. 

The Battery remained in camp until October 7th, on which 
date, it was aroused at 3 a. m. , but did not march until 7:30 
A. M. , when it marched to Knoxville, Md. , arriving there at 
3 p. M. , after marching fourteen miles. It went -into camp 
at Pleasant Valley, ^Id. , and remained there until October 
24th. 

Second Lieut, \^'m. Cooper was discharged on surgeon's 
certificate of disability, by Special Order No. 284, dated 
Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant-General's Office, Wash- 
ington, D. C. , October 8, 1862. Also the resignation of 
Second Lieut. Jerome Van Nostrand was accepted by Special 
Order No. 56, dated Headquarters, Ninth Army Corps, 
Pleasant Valley, Md., October 8, 1862. On the i6th. First 
Sergeant Moses E. Brush was promoted Junior Second Lieu- 
tenant, and Sergeant Thomas Heasley, to First Sergeant 
and Acting Second Lieutenant. 

October 24th, the Battery was ordered to Berlin, Md. , to 
support the U. S. Engineers imder command of Capt. Cross, 
who had been ordered to Iniild a pontoon bridge across the 
Potomac at that point. The Ninth Corps crossed this bridge 
on the 25th on its way to Fredericksburg, Va. October 
28th, Plrst Lieutenant Henry J. Standish resigned and left 
the Battery. On the 29th, the Battery arrived at Lovetts- 
ville, Va., and was in the field near Wheatlands on the 30th 
and 31st. November 5th, it was near Upperville and on 
the 8th near Orleans, and at Jeffersonton on the loth, from 
which point one section went out with Gen. Pleasanton's 
Cavalry on a reconnoitering expedition, and was in action, 
firing fourteen rounds. November 12th, at 2 a. m., the 
Battery left Jeffersonton and marched six miles to Sulphur 
Springs, where it remained until the 15th. On the 14th it 



FREDERICKSBURG. 9 1 

had (juite a lively set-to with the rebels, during whicli it 
lired twenty-two rounds. 

The Battery left Sulphur Springs at 8 a. m., on the 15th, 
and went to Fayettesville, six miles distant, and the next 
day to a pt>int near Warrenton Junction, also a distance of 
six miles, whence on the i8th and lyth it marched to Fal- 
mouth, just north of Fredericksburg-, on the left l)ank of 
Rappahannock River, where it arrived on the 20th, after 
marching about thirty miles. It was assigned to a posi- 
tion on the left of the Fretlericksburg and Washington 
Railroad, while Fudtery F, 4th U. S. Art, Capt. (ieo. Dick- 
enson, took position on the right of the same railroad, 
about 200 yards from the river. The river at this point is 
only about fifty yards wide, and each battery threw up 
embrasures to protect each gun, in accordance with orders 
from Headquarters to do so whenever such close quarters 
were to be held. We were only about 250 yards from the 
city of Fredericks])urg. It took several days to construct 
these embrasures. 

It is my opinion that ^Maryes Heights could and should 
have been occupied by our troops on their arrival at this 
point, for at that time there were no works of any conse- 
quence on either side, and our troo])s could have taken the 
position the rebels took as easily as they did the position 
they did take. As it was, every movement made on our 
side was made so slowly that the enemy had twenty and 
more days, ample time enough, to build, works that proved 
far too strong for our troops when, at last, an assault was 
made upon the Heights. Many others have expressed like 
opinions on this point. The strong massive works built by 
the Confederates, extended in a curve from the Rappahan- 
nock River, north of Fredericksburg around over Marye's 
Heights, west of the city, southward till they reached the 
Rappahannock again. 



92 REMIXISCEXCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Every night at 9 p. m. , for twenty-seven days, a fresh 
regiment was sent to support our batteries in case we were 
attacked by the enemy in an attempt to turn our right. 
Every night during this period I had to go out, no matter 
what the weather might be, to see that the infantry were 
properly posted. It often happened that these infantry 
supports would have to march four and live miles to report 
for this duty, and frequently they were wet to the skin when 
they arrived. I had a large hospital tent, eighteen feet by 
fourteen, and, at such times, I gave this up to the officers, 
but as an infantry regiment has thirty line officers besides 
the field and staff, it wall readily be understood they were 
in rather close quarters ; yet they had shelter from the 
storms. If I had not had this tent, I could not have given 
my brother officers the shelter and comfort I did. 

One regiment in particular, reported to me on one of the 
stormiest days of that winter. They had had to march live 
miles. They had started at 2 p. m., but they did not arrive 
until 9 p. >i. , and were, by that time, completely wet 
through. If I ever felt sorry for soldiers, I felt sorry for 
them. When welcoming the commanding officer, I re- 
marked, "Colonel, you have had a bad day." In re]ily. he 
said, "Captain, I have been out in rough weather before, 
but this beats anything I have ever seen." I called the 
First Sergeant and told him to shelter as many as he could 
in my big tent. Forty of the men and officers had to go on 
duty at once. I slipped out, called Billy Howard, the cook 
for the officers' mess, and told him to make three kettles 
full of good hot coffee. I then made the rounds to station 
the pickets. Just as I was returning to my tent, I smelled 
the aroma of the coffee, and then went into the big tent. 
The colonel asked me about the weather. I replied that 
there was no let up, and that, as there was so much water 
outside, I had ordered our cook to make some coffee for the 



FREDERICKSBURG. 93 

sake of a chang-e, and, tluit it was at their orders if they 
wanted some. There was a g-reat hurrah and they had a 
jolly time over their coffee. 

By the 27th of November, the earthworks for the protec- 
tion of the g-uns were completed, as well as quarters for the 
men and stables for the horses. The hard campaigns of the 
past few months had told heavily on both men and horses ; 
seven men had died. Some seven or eight of the younger 
men in the battery were feeling very bad, as a result of the 
hardships they had undergone, and they asked for a furlough, 
for they wanted to go home. I consulted the Battery sur- 
geon, Dr. Freeman, concerning them. After talking the 
matter over, we concluded that it would not benefit them 
much to go home, for the people at home might kill them 
with kindness, and probably some of them might never 
come back again. 1 then told the surgeon to send me a 
written request that they be relieved from duty and be 
ordered to exercise like boys — to run, play and jump — in 
fact, to be boys again. The rest of the Battery men and 
officers (including the Doctor himself) joined in their sports. 
They soon forgot their home sickness, and came round 
again all right. During the following summer these same 
men were the healthiest members of the Battery. 

On the last day of November, orders came to strengthen 
the four embrasures, the better to resist the heavy fire of 
the enemy. To do this, required the use of 12 or 14 cords 
of wood, and hard work for three days and three nights. 
A few days after the works were completed, a young staff 
officer called on me and said, "Captain Roemer, I am on 
the staff of Gen. Sumner,* and have been ordered to inspect 
your works." "All right, Captain," said I, and, taking my 

* Gen. E. V. Sumner was at this time Commander of the Right Grand 
Division, consisting of the Second and Ninth Corjts and Gen. Pleasan- 
ton's Cavalry Division. 



94 REJIIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

lOO-foot tape measure, went out with him ah^ng the earth- 
works. I was very proud of them, for I thought they were 
the very best we had ever made, and I expected to occupy 
them in our next engagement. We walked arOund the 
works, while he examined them very closely. He then 
said I must take out all the revetment and put in hurdles. 
"All right, Captain," said I, "if you will furnish them, I 
will put them in." "No," said he, "you must furnish 
them yourself. " "No," said I, " we are not engineers. If 
you don't furnish them, my works will remain as they are."' 
" Well, Captain Roemer, " said he, " 1 ^\'ill have to report you 
for disobedience of rny orders, " and then left me. I then went 
out with my tape measure and accurately measured every 
detail of my works, from base to top, height, thickness, etc., 
and put the record of the measurements together with a 
trace of the works, into an official envelope, mounted my 
horse, and rode over to the Headquarters of Gen. Sumner. 
His Headquarters were in one of those fine old southern 
mansions, with a high stoop in front. Just as I arrived, he 
was descending the steps with some ladies. Seeing me 
with the envelope in my hand, he said, "Leave of.absence, 
Cai)tain, I can't see you." "I beg pardon, General," said 
I, "it is other business of importance." "Walk right in. 
Captain," said he, " I will see you as soon as I have taken 
leave of the ladies. " I walked into the office where were 
many officers and clerks busily engaged. Soon Gen. Sum- 
ner returned and asked me into his private office. I then 
handed my report to him. He glanced at it, then looked at 
me, and said, "Captain, this is the way 1 want my officers 
to act. Are you sure your works are built according to 
this statement ? " "I will vouch for it," 1 replied. " I will 
send some staff officers," said he, " this afternoon to ins])ect 
your works again. " 

1 returned to my tpiarters, and, about 3 p. m., three 



FREDERICKSBURG. 95 

engineer officers rode up and said they had been sent to 
inspect my Avorks. "All right," said I, "I am at your 
service.'' They took my tape measure, and went over the 
whole of the works, to see if the actual measurements and 
description corresponded with those made in ni}^ report to 
the General. These officers measured every detail of the 
redoubt, and when they had finished their inspection, they 
told me their measurements agreed exactly with those given 
in my report. Later in the afternoon, I received a note 
from Gen. Sumner, saying that the officers' report was per- 
fectly satisfactory, thanking me for reporting as I did, and, 
furthermore, saying I should follow the same rule hereafter. 

Our stay in these winter quarters was of but short dura- 
tion, for on the loth of December, orders came to leave the 
redoubt just built in front of Fredericksburg, and take posi- 
tion on Falmouth Heights, on the extreme right of our lines, 
in company with Lieut. S. N. Benjamin's Battery E, 2d U. S. 
Art., Capt. Chas. D. Owen's Battery G, ist R. L Art, and 
Lieut. Rufus King, Jr. 's Battery A, 4th U. S. Art. This pos- 
ition assigned me by Lieut.-Col. Hays, Chief of Art., Ninth 
Corps, and Commandant of the Artillery Reserve, Right 
Grand Division, was on the farm of Mr. Bryan, Falmouth 
Heights. In the afternoon an order came to take the posi- 
tion assigned us that night. Battery L's position was on 
the bank of the Rappahannock River, facing due south 
with Owen's, King's, and Benjamin's Batteries to the right 
of Battery L in the order named, and at right angles with 
the main line. At this point, the river flows east a short dis- 
tance and then makes a sharp turn to the southeast just in 
front of Falmouth. The position was fully fifty feet above the 
river, and was a very prominent position for a battery as 
well as a very conspicuous target for the enemy. 

After viewing the position, I was convinced that Lieut.- 
Col. Hays was right in saying, "Captain Roemer, you 



96 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

have the crown of positions. " I thanked him for the honor 
conferred on the Battery, by giving it the preference, even 
if the position was hazardous. The Battery was soon pre- 
pared for the enemy if they should attack us during the 
night. The order was to be watchful, and, if necessity 
demanded, to open tire at once without waiting for further 
orders. All was quiet during the night. 

At about 9 A. M. , on the i ith, the enemy opened fire upon 
our troops south of us, from the rear of the town. By 
special orders from Lieut. -Col. Hays, to Capt. Owen 
and myself, we were prepared to enfilade the enemy's bat- 
teries, as our other troops were not in a position to silence 
the fire. Accordingly, we moved our batteries nearer the 
river, and soon silenced the enemy's fire. Battery L then 
received orders to take position in the peach orchard on the 
left of the Bryan house, from which position, it exchanged 
about 25 rounds with the enemy. It then returned to its 
former position. Soon the firing on the right became more 
pronounced, and I was ordered to send one section to the 
peach orchard on the left of the house again, close to the 
river bank. This section fired seventeen rounds and re- 
mained in the orchard during the night. The other section 
was retained in its position and ordered to construct four 
embrasures which were completed by the next morning. 
During the day ninety-one rounds in all were fired by the 
Battery which suffered no casualties. 

On the 12th, orders were received to withdraw the section 
from the river bank and place it with the other within the 
embrasures, to watch the enemy's fire, and to open fire 
upon them only when they opened fire upon our troops. 
At 7 A. M. , the enemy opened upon our works. The Bat- 
tery exchanged shots with such batteries as it could reach, 
whereupon they ceased firing. At 9 a. m. , a dense fog set- 
tled down in our front obscuring everything. As soon as 



FREDERICKSBURG. 97 

the fog lifted, the enemy opened tire again. Finding that 
we coukl not reach these guns of the enemy from our 
embrasures, especially with the right section, the latter was 
moved to the left to the bank of the river where it opened fire. 
This drew the enemy's tire which was, however, soon silenced. 
At 4 p. M., the enemy opened fire on our redoubt again, this 
time from the woods north of INIarye's Heights, with twelve 
or fifteen pieces. This was answered by the four batteries 
of Benjamin, King, Owen, and Roemer, which soon silenced 
it. Battery L suffered no casualties and fired 67 rounds. 

The Battery remained in the redoubt the night of the 
twelfth, and opened fire the next morning at 7 a. m. Dur- 
ing the night, there had been a heavy frost, and when the 
sun arose, the dampness caused such a dense fog, that 
orders were received to be very careful in firing, especially, 
as our cavalry pickets were crossing the river under cover 
of our fire. Nothing of importance to the Battery occurred 
imtil 3 p. M. , when an order came for it to report forthwith 
to Gen. Sumner at the Lacy House where it arrived and 
reported at 5 p. m. Gen. Sumner ordered the Batterv, to 
take position behind the Lacy House, out of reach of the 
enemy's fire (though shot and shell were flying around on 
all sides), to be kept in readiness for any emergency. Dur- 
ing the day, the Battery expended 128 rounds of ammuni- 
tion and suffered no casualties. It remained at the Lacy 
House until 4 p. m. , on the 15th, when by order of Lieut. - 
Col. Hays, it went to occupy the redoubt previously occu- 
pied by Benjamin's Battery E, 2nd U. S, Art. on the extreme 
right. From there it was ordered to its old position on the 
left of the Fredericksburg and Washington R. R. to resume 
its former occupation of looking after the four redoubts and 
posting the infantry regiments on picket as they arrived 
each evening at 9 o'clock, in our front, near the river and 
on the left flank of the Ninth Corps. 



98 REMIXISCEN'CES OF .MAJOR ROEMER. 

While sitting in my tent after the battle, it occurred to me 
to review it on paper, and thus preserve my impressions 
of it. 

On the iith of Deccml)er, Lieut. -Col. Hays held a con- 
sultation with the commanders of the four batteries stationed 
on the extreme right of our lines, viz., Benjamin, Owen, 
King, and myself. Benjamin and King were officers of the 
regulars while Owen and I belonged to the volunteers. He 
questioned each of us as to our knowledge of our lines. As 
I am writing the history of my Battery, I will mention only 
what was asked of me. When it came my turn, Col. Hays 
asked me, "Well, Capt. .Roemer, what knowledge of our 
lines do you possess.?" " Colonel," I replied, "the other 
day, I made a tour of inspection for my own satisfaction, 
along our lines from right to left, but being interested 
chiefly in artillery, I gave my attention almost wholly to 
that arm. I located 127 pieces of artillery and made a 
small diagram of their positions." I then handed the dia- 
gram to Col. Hays, who, after looking it over, said, "Very 
good, Captain, this may be of use for future reference, and, 
therefore, I will keep it." 

Every battle will have connected with it, incidents that 
are interesting whether important or not. On the night of 
December loth, before the fighting of the first day, I was 
making the rounds to post the pickets of the infantry regi- 
ment that was to be our support that night, and giving them 
instructions as to what must be observed by the pickets on 
their several posts, and especially by those near the river. 
While I was at the point nearest the enemy, a voice was heard 
from the opposite bank, saying, "Hallo, Yanks!" "Well, 
Johnny," said I, "what is it.'" "Say, Yanks," said the 
voice, "what's the meaning of your three days' rations in 
your haversacks ? If you come over here we'll give you 
h — 1." They were well informed. Three days' rations had 



FREDERICKSBURG. 99 

been issued to our troops, and the rebels well knew that 
that meant a tight or a march. I think that every rebel 
knew of this issue, and, furthermore, that this informa- 
tion came to them through female spies in the War 
Department in Washington, and also that this was only 
part of the knowledge the Confederate officials had obtained 
through these spies. Our troops certainly had a smell of 
brimstone, in fact, it was the principal thing they did smell. 
When the enemy said they would give us hell, they surely 
meant it, for the butchery of our brave boys was terrible, 
especially at the sunken telegraph road and at the foot of 
Marye's Heights, where they fell like grass before the 
scythe. This was one part of my impressions regarding the 
battle. 

The second part relates to the arrangement of the troops, 
the advance, and the time of the attack. Three pontoon 
bridges were successfully placed, and the several Corps 
Commanders had their orders as to where and when their 
corps should be ready for the duties assigned them. It was 
not to be a simultaneous attack by all the corps. At the 
time, I was informed that Gen. Franklin, away on our left, 
had orders to attack Lee's rear on the Richmond Railway, 
about one hour and a half or two hours ahead of the attacks 
to be made by the other Grand Divisions. This would have 
been dangerous to Lee's rear, and would have compelled 
Lee to draw upon his reserves when our troops should 
attack him in front two hours later, and thus- would have 
had to call on all his troops, including his reserves, to keep 
Franklin from destroying the railroad or falling on his rear, 
and, at the same time to meet the attack in front. But at the 
time when our troops advanced to attack in front, Franklin 
had not arrived in Lee's rear, and, consecpiently, Lee could 
and did throw his whole force against our troops in front, 
and this force was too overwhelming for our men to with- 



lOO REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

stand. There was, furthermore, some difficulty encountered 
by our troops in crossing the river that night, which had 
not been expected. Had the crossing of the river been car- 
ried out as contemphited, I have no doubt the troops would 
have succeeded in doing what had been planned. 

The Battery spent the i8th in repairing damages received 
during the three days' engagement. During this time also, 
the Battery fired 414 rounds of ammunition and had two 
men and five horses slightly wounded. I give below a ver- 
batim copy of my report made to Lieut. -Col. \\m. Hays, 
Chief of Artillery, Ninth Army Corps. 

Headqu.\rters Battery L, 2d N. Y. Vol. Art., ) 
Falmouth, Va. , Dec. i8th, 1862. ) 
Lieut. -CoL. Hays, Chief of Art., Ninth Army Corps : 

Colonel : — I have the honor to report the part taken by 
my Battery during the late engagement with the enemy on 
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the iith, 12th and 13th 
inst. On the loth inst. a position was assigned me by 
yourself on the farm of Mr. Bryan, above Falmouth, on the 
Rappahannock River and on the right of our line. The 
Battery reached this position at 11 p. m. , on the loth, went 
into park and so remained until daybreak, when it took 
position ready for action. I then received orders to be 
ready for any emergency, and, if I found the position 
the Battery then occupied was not suited to return the 
enemy's fire, to move to the front of Mr. Bryan's house, 
where 1 would have a better range on the enemy's guns 
and also on the town, that position being on the crest of a 
hill and on the bank of the Rappahannock River. 

About 9 A.' M. , the enemy opened fire on our troops in 
front, from the rear of the town. I received from you 
special orders to enfilade the enemy's fire, which, in com- 
bination with Owen's Battery, was done by moving both 
batteries to the front. After I had expended about twenty 
rounds of ammunition, the enemy ceased firing. I then 
received orders to place the Battery in the peach orchard on 
the left of Bryan's house. The enemy now opened fire on 
the Battery on the left of the house and about twenty-five 



FREDERICKSBURG. lOI 

shots were exchang-ed. From this position, tlie Battery 
went back to its former position, as the enemy's fire had 
chany^ed from left to rig;ht. This chang-e enabled us to 
silence the enemy's fire against our right. 

1 now received orders to place one section again in the 
peach orchard on the left of the house, and several shots 
were exchanged. This section remained in the peach 
orchard during the night, while the other section was 
retained in its original position. At the same time, I was 
ordered to construct embrasures in our tirst position, which 
work was done during the night of the iith. During this 
day, I expended seventy-four rounds of ammunition. On 
the 1 2th, I received orders to withdraw the section in the 
peach orchard on the river bank to the embrasures, to watch 
the enemy's fire, and to fire my guns only when the enemy 
opened on our troops. 

The enemy opened fire from their works at 7 a. m. I 
returned it with my Battery, firing on such guns as I could 
reach. After several shots, the enemy ceased firing. At 
9 A. M., a dense fog obscured everything. When the fog- 
lifted, the enemy again opened fire on our troops, but I 
found I could not reach these batteries from our embrasures, 
and especially, with the guns of the right section. On this 
account, I moved this section to the left and to the river 
bank, and opened fire which soon silenced the enemy. 

Nothing of importance again occurred until 4 p. m. , when, 
the Battery being within the embrasures, the enemy opened 
a brisk cross fire from the woods and hills, which was soon 
silenced by a very brisk fire from the four batteries of Ben- 
jamin, King, Owen and my own. The enemy's guns num- 
bered some 12 or 15 pieces. Battery L fired about sixty- 
seven rounds. The Battery remained in the embrasures 
•during the night of the 12th, and opened fire again at 7 
A. M. , on the 13th. A dense fog having arisen between 8 
and 9 A. M. , I received orders to be cautious in firing, as our 
cavalry pickets were advancing under cover of our fire. 
The Battery fired at intervals during the day, changing 
position according to the varying changes of the enemy's 
fire, and expended one hundred and twenty-eight rounds of 
ammunition. 



I02 REMINISCENCES OF .MAJOR ROEMER. 

At 3 P. M., I received orders to report with the Battery 
immediately to Gen. Sumner at the Lacy House, which 
order was promptly obeyed. The Battery arrived at the 
Lacy House at 5 p. m. I then received instructions to hold 
the Battery in readiness for any emergency that might arise 
during the night. It lay ready for orders till between 3 and 
4 p. M. , on the 15th, when I received orders from yourself 
in person again to occupy the redoubts on the right. I am 
now in the position previously occupied by Benjamin's 
Battery E, 2d U. S. Art. 

I have the honor to be, Colonel, your most obedient 
servant, 

[Signed] Jacob Roemer, 

Capt. Comdg. Battery L, 2d N. Y. Art. 

On the 19th, the work of putting the Battery in perfect 
trim for action was continued, that it might be ready for 
instant service, whenever it might be called upon. The 
ammunition in limber and caisson chests was replenished, 
and the thousand and one things required to put the Battery 
in complete order, were carefully looked after. Late in the 
day, it took its former position on the left of the railroad. 
I now learned, to my infinite regret, that Lieut. Geo. Dick- 
enson, who commanded Battery E, 4th U. S. Art., when it 
was stationed with us on the right of the railroad, was no 
more. After we had left our several position- and had 
arrived at the Lacy House, he was ordered to cross the pon- 
toon bridge opposite that point. The next morning he was 
ordered to take ])osition on a knoll well in advance. He 
had hardly reached the position assigned him, when he 
was killed with two of his men, while several more were 
w^ounded. He was shot squarely in the forehead. The last 
words he uttered before he died (which was almost instantly) 
were, " Bury me where I fell." His battery had not, as yet, 
fired a single shot. Few of our brave comrades recrossed 
the Rapi^ahannock. The bones of those who fell were left 
on the right bank of the river they had so recently crossed. 



FREDERICKSBURG. IO3 

I can distinctly recall the fine soldierly bearing of Lieut. 
Dickenson when he left us at the Lacy House. He came 
to me with outstretched hand, grasped mine, and said, 
"Well, Roemer, good-bye. We won't see each other again. 
This IS our last farewell. We won't grasp hands in friendly 
fellowship again. We have been good friends all through 
our work of guarding the railroad, but now all is over, 
good-bye." I replied, "Don't talk like that, Lieutenant. 
We will meet again before many days and talk over our 
victory together." But he said, "That will never be." 
Then he was off, waving his hand, bidding us good-bye. 
He really had a presentiment of his fate. Afterwards many 
others have said similar things to me, and in many cases 
their words came true. 

The 20th was spent in drilling both on foot and mounted, 
to perfect ourselves for the work we might at any moment 
be called upon to perform. In war, whoever can gain the 
advantage by his skill in maneuvering, usually wins the 
day. 



CHAPTER V. 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBIRG. 

Christmast 1862. The usual greetings were exchanged 
by all with one another during the day. All seemed happy 
and contented, yet, doubtless, the thoughts of both officers 
and men, were with the folks at home. 

January ist, 1863. New Year's Day was a gala day in 
the camp of Battery L. Over one hundred officers were 
entertained in its big hospital tent, behind the redoubts. 
Good wishes were exchanged, and we had as sociable a 
time as our means could afford. We were safe from the 
enemy's fire, though only aliout 250 yards from the city of 
Fredericksburg. The next day, Sergeant J. J. Johnston was 
promoted ist Sergeant, vice Thos. Heasley, promoted Acting 
Second Lieutenant. 

Orders came January 19th, to be ready to move at a 
moment's notice. At 4 p. m. , the order came to go to Fal- 
mouth Heights, and take the old position on Bryan's farm, 
in company with our old associates at that point, the bat- 
teries of Benjamin, Owen and King. At midnight a tremen- 
dous rainstorm set in. IMen and horses suffered terrribly 
from the cold and wet. Near the Battery's position there 
were several stacks of corn, and I ordered the men to use 
these as best they could to shelter themselves. Tlic lieavy 
rains made the ground so soft that it became almost impos- 
sible to move artillery from one position to another. 

On tlu' 22d, an order came from Brig.-Gen. Havs, Chief 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBURG. IO5 

of Artillery, to return to the old position in front of Fred- 
ericksburg-. To reach this position it would be necessary 
in following- the roads, to march north from Falmouth, then 
west, then south, and then east again, a total distance ot 
six miles. The bank at IMr. Bryan's house was about ten or 
fifteen feet above the level of the road leading into Falmouth, 
and from this point, it was only about three hundred yards 
to Falmouth. I examined this bank and came to the con- 
clusion that I could let the gun-carriages and caissons slide 
down it into the road, and thus save the men and horses 
from making the six-mile march around, during this dark 
and stormy night, for I discovered that this could be accom- 
plished with a little work. I at once sent an order to ist 
Sergeant Johnston in the camp before Fredericksburg to 
send all the spare Battery horses to report to me at the 
lower part of the street in Falmouth (there being only one 
street there) at 5 a. m. the next morning. The Battery 
remained in position until 4 a. m. on the 23d. The other 
three batteries started at 6 p. m., on the 2 2d, on their march 
to the positions assigned them, by the roads through the 
woods, as above indicated. They were the same roads by 
which we had all gone previously to reach the positions we 
were now leaving. 

At 4 A. M., on the 23d, all preparations had been made to 
slide the gun-carriages and caissons down the bank, and all 
had been enjoined to refrain from talking loud, as the 
enemy were on the opposite bank of the river, and it would 
have been "good-bye to Battery L," if they had known 
anything of our movements. One thing was in our favor ; 
the earth composing the bank was very soft and loose and 
hence no noise would be caused by the actual movement of 
gun-carriages and caissons. In sliding these down, no 
teams were used except the pole-teams. By means of the 
prolong ropes which were attached to the rear of the car- 



Io6 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

riages, eight men to each carriage kept them from pressing 
too closely upon the teams. As soon as the carriages and 
caissons were safe in the road, the other teams that were in 
waiting were hitched on, and to each carriage one or two 
of the extra teams were attached, as circumstances required. 
Everything being ready, the Battery started off to go to its 
old camp before Fredericksburg. Just after it had passed 
through Falmouth, the other three batteries which had 
made the six-mile march around, came up with their horses 
wholly used up. Our regular teams, as well as the twelve 
extra teams were perfectly fresh. We had the lead on the 
road, and when our sixty horses and eight carriages and 
caissons had passed, the road was, of course, pretty well 
cut up, and those who followed had to get along as best 
they could. 

By ID A. M. , the Battery was again in its old camji. An 
hour later. Gen. Ferrero came into camp and looked around 
in astonishment. Spying me, he said, " Roemer, I thought 
you went out with the U. S. Batteries to Falmouth Heights .'' " 
"Well, General,"! replied, "we have been there." "Well," 
said he, "how in hell did you get back into camp again so 
soon.'''" "We have arrived. General," I replied, "but if I 
tell you how, I am afraid you will have me court martialed. " 
" Nonsense, Roemer," said he, "but were you really out.' " 
"Of course we were. General," I replied. "Well," said 
he, "you don't look it." I then told him about our plan of 
descending the bank. Just then we looked out of our 
redoubts, from which we had a good view of the level 
ground around the Lacy House, which was some three or 
four miles in length and over a mile in width, but all we 
could see was artillery carriages and ammunition wagons. 
to the number of eighty or one hundred, stuck fast in the 
mud. This was the famous "Mud Campaign" of (icn. 
Burnside, that was fought without artillerv or muskets. 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBURG. IO7 

There were no casualties, and no ammunition was expended. 
Many of the cannon could not be pulled out of the mud for 
three or four days, and some were so deeply imbedded that 
they had to be pried out with fence rails. 

The Battery spent several days in repairing- harness that 
had been badly damaged, in examining the ammunition, 
and repairing the redoubt. During these days, there were 
rumors floating- about that the Ninth Corps was to go west. 
On the 6th of February, orders came for the Ninth Cori)s to 
get ready to march, and at 6 a. >i. , the next day, an order 
came to march immediately to Aquia Creek. The Battery 
left camp at 8 .\. m. , but as the road was found to be in a 
terrible condition, our progress was extremely slow. As all 
teams, basftrao'e-wao'ons, ofun-carriages, caissons, etc., had 
to pass over this one road, it consequently happened, that 
the farther we went, the worse it became, and from time to 
time, some carriage would stick fast. 

ki one place quite a hill was encountered. To take the 
guns and caisons up, from eight to twenty-two horses were 
required for each, in addition to the six regularly belonging 
to it, and even with twenty-eight horses attached, a piece 
would sometimes stick fast. Even my own horse became 
mired, and I was compelled to dismount and allow him to 
jump to pull his forelegs out of the mud. I saw plenty of 
bad roads during our marches, but this one from Fredericks- 
burg to Aquia Creek was the worst of all. It was a nine- 
mile march only, yet both men and horses had to work 
their hardest for two days to make it. It arrived at Aquia 
Creek at 9 p. m. , February 9th, when orders were received 
to embark the guns, caissons, etc., on the canal-boats 
Wni. T. Mooney and Empire City, and the horses on the 
boats Sarah Ann and M. T. Corbin. Loading a battery on 
canal boats is somewhat of a task. Some fifteen cannon- 
carriages, caissons, battery wagon, forge, ammunition and 



I08 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

baggage wagons, seventy-eight horses and ten mules, had 
to be transferred from the shore to the boats, but by i a. m. , 
the next morning, all were embarked and ready to sail. 

Our vessels then joined the rest of the Ninth Corps' fleet 
and steamed down the Potomac on the way to Fort Monroe. 
On the way down, a heavy storm was encountered and the 
boats had to lie at anchor in St. Mary's River for two days. 
Long Islanders, as is well known, are fond of sea food, and 
as St. IMary's River abounded in oysters, the Battery boys 
managed to dispose of five or six bushels on each of these 
two days. The Battery arrived at Fort Monroe on the 15th, 
disembarked on the i6th, and went into camp back of 
Hampton. On the 21st, it marched to Newport News, 
eight miles distant, and placed one section in position. 
Here the Battery remained until .March 23d. On March 
9th, I started for home on a ten days" leave of absence, and 
returned at 10 a. m. on the 19th. An order came at 12:15 
p. -M. , March 2 2d for the Battery to return to Hampton. It 
started the next day at 10 a. m. , and arrived at Hampton at 
1:30 p. M. It left Hampton on the 26th for Fort Monroe 
where it eml)arked during the following night on the steamer 
Champion. The steamer left Fort Monroe at 10 a. m. , on 
the 27th, for Baltimore, where it arrived at 8 p. m., a dis- 
tance of 160 miles. The Battery, tlien numl)ering 82 men 
with 74 horses, disembarked and marched to the B. c*i; O. R. R. 
station whence it departed for Pittsburg, Pa., 334 miles 
distant, where it arrived at 11 p. m. on the 29th, in com- 
pany with rest of the Ninth Corps. 

The people of Pittsburg received the Ninth Corps right 
royally. They brought us the best of everything, fed us, 
and petted us. Wherever we went, the cry was, "Hurrah 
for the soldiers of the Ninth Corps. ' But the boys could 
not stand sucli luxury, coming, as it did, right on the heels 
of the hardships and meager fare that had so long been 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBIRG. IO9 

tlieir lot. It occasioned much trouble to the commandintr 
ot^cers, for. the mixture of so many ijood things was alto- 
gether too much for the boys, and when the time came to 
board the cars, it was hard to get them on the train. I am 
sorry to say that I had to leave behind some eight or ten 
men, who had become so crazed with liciut)rs I could do 
nothing with them, for the Provost Marshal to forward. 
He could handle them, in whatever condition they were. 
When men fell into his hands, they were compelled to come 
to terms, whether willing or unwilling. 

We now left Pittsburg for Cincinnati where we arrived at 
2 A. M., April 1st, after a journey of 337 miles. The men 
here partook of a good breakfast, and ^\•ere then gi\'en leave 
to view the sights of the city, with orders to report at a cer- 
tain hour. In the meantime, I drew what horses and stores 
were needed to complete the Battery's equipment for the 
tield. At 5 p. M. , all being in readiness, the Battery crossed 
the bridge over the Ohio river, to Covington, Ky,, four 
miles distant. Here, it took the train at 2 p. m. , April 2d, 
for Lexington, Ky, , where it arrived the next day at 10:30 
p. Ji,, and went into camp near the city. 

The next day drilling was begun, and some tine drills, 
both on foot and mounted, were had. As the Battery 
needed overhauling badly, I asked Gen. Wilcox, then com- 
manding the Ninth Corps, for an order granting the Battery 
three weeks' time to make the repairs so much needed, such 
as painting, renewmg tires, etc. Eighteen days were given 
and the men, at once, set to work. Everyone worked with 
a will, and when all was finished, the gun carriages, cais- 
sons, harnesses, etc., looked as if our old equipment had 
been replaced by a new one. When everything was ready, 
I reported the fact to Gen. Willcox. Soon an order came 
for the Battery to go to Winchester, but theit before it went, 
it would be reviewed by Gen. Willcox. The review was 



no REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

made April 28th, and Gen. \^'illcox, by saying that the 
appearance of the Battery showed that its members pos- 
sessed g-reat mechanical skill, paid the men a compliment 
that fully repaid them for their labor and trouble. 

The Battery started for Winchester at 6 a. m. , April 29th, 
and arrived at 3 p. m. The day was a very fine one and I 
can yet recall how fresh and green everything appeared. 
Here Gen. Sturgis, our Brigade Commander, visited the 
Battery and reviewed it on the 30th of April. The Battery 
left camp at Winchester at 9 a. m., May 4th, and went into 
camp near Lexington at 5 p. m. It passed through Lexing- 
ton on the 5th, and went into camp seven miles beyond the 
town, whence it went to Lowell during a terrible storm, 
arriving on the 9th. From this place, it went to Lancas- 
ter where it remained until the 23d. when it mo^'ed to Crab 
Orchard nine miles distant. On the 25th it was moved to a 
point two miles south of the village. Here the Battery was 
drilled mounted for two days and afterwards, until June 3d, 
in the manual of the piece. All this time, it was doing 
picket duty among the mountains. The pleasant mountain 
air soon freshened up every one. The cam]') was from two 
to five hundred feet above the sea level, and the air had a 
very beneficial effect upon tlie men's appetites. I noticed 
that there were very few crumbs left when they had finished 
their rations. 

Crab Orchard is (juite noted, or was before tlie war, for 
the medicinal (pialities of its sulphur, magnesia, and iron 
springs, for miles aroinid. Its situation at the foot of high 
moimtains, is very fine. To sit in the shade of its immense 
oak antl ash trees, with the springs close at hand, was a 
luxury one could greatly enjoy. During the two years of 
fighting in Kentucky, it suffered much. I regard Kentucky 
as one of the finest of southern states in two ]iarticulars : 
first, for its blue grass region, and second, for its good 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBURG. HI 

roads. In 1863 the state had the finest turnpike and macad- 
amized roads in the United States. I could not help l)eing 
impressed by this fact, as we marched over them, for there 
was no difficulty in marchino; quite rapidly at any time, 
day or night. As stated previously, the Battery was forty- 
eight hours on the march from Falmouth to Aquia Creek, a 
distance of only nine miles, but in Kentucky it made the 
march from a point three miles south of Crab Orchard to 
Hickman's Bridge over the Kentucky River, a distance of 
thirty-five miles, in eight and one quarter hours. Thus it 
is readily seen of what advantage good roads are to both 
men and horses. 

C)n June 3d I received orders to have the Battery ready 
to march to Hickman's Bridge and over Kentucky River, 
and to report in person at the Headquarters of Col. S. G. 
Griffin, commanding ist Brigade, 2d Div. , Ninth Corps, for 
further instructions. Accordingly, 1 reported at 10.30 a. m., 
and was told that the Battery must, by all means, cross the 
river not later than 7:15 a. m., June 4th, and that Mosby 
was around and they were watching out for him. He fur- 
thermore told me the Battery would have no infantry sup- 
port during the march. At 11 p. m. the Battery arrived at 
Crab (3rchard, where I received another hint from Col. Grif- 
fin. " Roemer," said he, " if you don't want to be gobbled 
up by IMosby, see to it that the crossing of the bridge is 
made, as I said before, not later than 7:15 a. m. , for I have 
just received news of his whereabouts and he can't possibly 
reach the bridge befere 7 or 8 o'clock to-morrow morning. 
Now look out, old bo3\ Good-bye." 

The Battery left Headquarters at 11:10 p. m, and reached 
the bridge at 7:15 the next morning. The Itridge was 
guarded by infantry and artillery, so, as soon as it reached 
the bridge, the Battery was safe. On this march of thirty- 
five miles over a smooth macadamized road, where the 



112 RE.MIXISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

horses could go at full step without trotting-, it was a 
pleasure to ride at the side of the Battery and listen to the 
even tread of tlie horses, although the march was made 
chiefly during the night. After we had halted and partaken 
of a good breakfast, we felt we could defy Mosby or any 
one else to do us any harm. Then, when the horses had 
been fed, we were ready for the march to Nicholasville, on 
the north side of the river. To reach the bridge, the Bat- 
tery had to go down a steep descent from the south, and to 
reach the road to Nicholasville, it had to go up an equally 
steep ascent on the north. The climb up that hill was 
awful, both on account of the heat of the direct rays of the 
sun and that of the rays reflected from the water. Men and 
horses suffered much, and, although it was a march of but 
three miles, they suffered more than they did during the 
thirty-five mile march of the preceding night. 

At the end of this three-mile march, the Battery came to 
a beautiful clover field. I gave orders to park the battery 
in this fiekl ; to unhitch the horses and give them an hour 
in it: al'terwards to water them; and then to feed . them 
with grain. By the time all this hatl been done, dinner was 
ready for the men, and strange to say, the men were ready 
for the dinner. After this hearty meal, the men soon found 
comfortable places where they could lie down and rest till 
12 midnight, for it was expected that the Battery would 
have to Ije again on the march at 2 a. si. Just at the 
moment when men and horses were comfortably settled, an 
orderly came with a telegram from Gen. Willcox, ordering 
the Battery to hurry on to Lexington for the train that was 
to carry the Battery was ready to be loaded. I really did 
not have the heart to disturb the men, the}- were resting so 
quietly after their fatiguing march on the ]>revious night 
and the morning following. I put the telegram in my 
pocket and thought I was justitied in doing so, since Col. 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBIRG. II3 

Griffin had stated in his instructions to mc, that it was not 
expected the Battery would be sliipped until the hfth of 
June. 

At the same moment a man entered the field ; it immed- 
iately occurred to me that he must be its owner. I at once 
went up to him and said, " Sir, I have taken possession of 
your field. " " That is all right. Captain," said he, "I am 
glad I am able to furnish your Battery with something- that 
will benefit it." He was accompanied by his young son, 
who w^as, apparently, of about the same age (thirteen years) 
as my own son, Louis, who was with me on this cam- 
paign, and was at the moment but a short distance away. 
I called Louis, and he came marching up as soldierly as an 
old veteran, clad in his full regalia, soldier's coat, high top- 
boots and slouch hat. I introduced him to the farmer, who 
looked at him and said in wonder, " Do you mean to tell 
me this young boy is making this campaign with you .-* " 

1 told Louis to answer for himself, and he did so with a 
soldier's courtesy and then related some of his adventures. 
The two boys soon became friends, and when the farmer 
was about to leave, he asked my permission to take Louis 
home with him to stay wath his son over night, for he 
wanted his wife to see a soldier only thirteen years old. Of 
course, I was greatly surprised at this request, and stopped 
to consider. I left it to Louis, knowing he had good judg- 
ment, and asked him if he cared to go with the gentlemen 
and spend the night under a roof and in a bed. For that 
part of it he said he did not care, but if I thought it would 
be all right, he would like to go. So it was settled. 

I told the farmer, however, I should hold him responsible 
for my son's safety, and, as the Battery was to march at 

2 in the morning, he should take care of my son's horse and 
start him on the road to Lexington at 4 a. m. , so that Louis 
could reach that place by 5, as he was a good rider. The 



114 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER, 

farmer made the required promise and the three set off for 
the farmer's home. 

The Battery reached Lexington at 5 the next morning, and 
had but just halted at the station, when, off in the distance, 
I descried Louis gahoping towards us on his gray mare. He 
was all smiles as he reined up beside me and began tell- 
ing me of the good time he had had. 

Everything was now in a bustle as the trains were in 
waiting. An officer came up and I asked him which train 
had been set apart for Roemer's Battery, He pointed it out 
and, at the same time, said it had been expected the night 
before. Orders were then given to load the Battery on the 
train at once, and the men were promised two hours leave 
when the loading was done. It was astonishing how this 
prospect inspired the men ; within thirty minutes every- 
thing was on board the trian ; then the men took their two 
hours' leave. I then started out to go to Gen. Willcox's 
Headquarters to report the arrival of the Battery, but met 
him on the way in company with the Depot Quartermaster 
and thirty men who had been detailed to help load the 
Battery on the train. I went up to Gen. Willcox, saluted, 
and reported that the Battery was on the train. " Who 
loaded the Battery.'" he inquired. "My men, General," 
I rcjilied, and the officer in charge of the trains corroborated 
my statement and added, "I have never seen a battery 
loaded so quickly before in all my life." 

71'ie train left Lexington at 1 1 a. m. and arrived at 6 p. m. 
at Louisville, where the Battery, after being unloaded, 
marched to the wharf five miles distant, and was shipped 
on board the steamer Mariner for Vicksburg, Miss. The 
36th Mass. Vols, accompanied the Battery as its support. 
On the 6th the JMarincr steamed down the Ohio River in 
fine weather and vnuler favorable circumstances, and arrived 
at Cairo at 7 p. m. on the 9th, and then started on the voy- 



FREDERICKSBURG TO VICKSBURG. II5 

ag-e clown the ^Mississippi River. Nothing of importance 
occurred until the steamer reached Lal^e Providence. Here 
tliey ■were lighting on the hind, and we coukl licar tire rattle 
of musketry. Our flotilla consisted of eleven transports led 
by two gunboats. The Mariner was the rear boat of the 
flotilla, and two of the Battery's guns were in position in 
the bow of the boat ready for action. The current was 
very strong, although the river is here from one to three 
miles wide, because the strong current had eaten away the 
banks at varying intervals. All the vessels had to follow 
the channel, and so had to pass down the river in single 
file the Mariner being the last boat to pass. 

just as the boat neared the bank and swung away from 
it to the left, several companies of Confederates rushed out 
of the canebrake, and let us have the contents of their mus- 
kets. When they had fired three volleys, I made up my 
mind that some of us might suffer. My first thought was for 
mv son. I made him lie down and then covered him with 
mattresses. I then went to the guns in the bow, had them 
loaded with canister, and fired. That the guns were well 
aimed, was proved by the fact that we could see the "John- 
nies " hop. The latter started to run and we sent some shrap- 
nel after them. It was all over in a few minutes, but the 
" Johnnies '" got the worst of it, for we suffered no casual- 
ties. When the first volley of rebel bullets struck our boat, 
and rattled against the pilot house, one might have 
thought the Chinese had come to town with their big gongs, 
as the pilot house was sheathed with heavy sheet iron. 
The gunboats were at the bend of the river, where our 
colored troops were having a sharp fight wuth the enemy 
near Lake Providence. As soon as the gunboats could get 
near enough to reach the enemy with their guns, they 
opened fire. The colored troops seeing they were well 
supported, took fresh courage, and, without waiting to 



Il6 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

reload their muskets, clubbed them and dashed forward, 
rending the air with their cries of "Fort Pillow!" "Fort 
Pillow ! '" Those on the boats could hear the echo, " Fort 
Pillow, men ! Xo quarter ! " The enemy broke and fled. 
During the encounter we received many stray bullets, and 
after it was well over, we looked around to see if they had 
done any damage. It was found that some eight or ten 
horses and two men had been slightly wounded. On 
further investigation it was found that the Mariner had 
somehow caught fire just o\'er the boilers, but as the fire 
had as yet gained no headway, it was easily extinguished, 
while the boat had suffered no material injury. 

At this time a heavy wind was blowing, which finally 
became a severe gale that tossed the boat from side to side. 
The 36th Mass. were on the upper deck and suffered much 
discomfort. The boat would probably have been swamped, 
if Capt. Collier had not wisely headed the boat to windward, 
and put in the lee of the bank, where it was safer. The 
waves in the river were so powerful and heavy that a small 
stern-wheel boat, not three hundred yards away from us, 
was carried by one, the high wind aiding it, right upon the 
land, where it remained when the water receded, about one 
hundred and fifty yards from the edge of the river, with its 
stern-wheel revolving for all it was worth. 

The steamer arrivctl at the Yazoo River at midnight lune 
17th, under a clear full moon. As it turned the jioint, the 
lovely live-oak trees draped with the silver-gray liane, or 
Spanish moss, bathed in the moonliglU and contrasting 
strongly with the light l)ackground of the ri\-er bank. ])re- 
sented a picture that cannot be described. I took m\' field 
glass and drank in the beauties of the landscape, Jind, as I 
gazed, 1 thought tliat a more beautiful \'iew could not be 
found in all creation. 



CHAPTER VI, 



HAYXES S BLUFF, JACKSON AND VICKSBl'RG. 

At six o'clock in the morning- of June iSth, i\\(i Mariner 
arrived at the foot of tlie bhiff known as Haynes's Bluff. 
The banks were so high and steep that it seemed impossible 
to disembark the artillery there. I reported the matter to 
Gen. Parke, commanding the Ninth Corps. He told me I 
was in command of the Mariner and should find a suitable 
place to land the Battery. I sent word to Capt. Collier to 
droj) down towards Vicksburg, and that I would walk 
along the bank and g^ive him notice as soon as I found a 
suitable place. With some other officers I walked down 
the river some three miles, where we found a good landing 
place, with stout trees near, to which the block and fall 
could be fastened to haul cannon-carriages, etc., on shore. 
When all were landed, the horses were attached and the 
Battery marched to its destination, Haynes's Bluff. 

Here was found the wreck of Pemberton's siege train, 
guns, and both shot and shell by the cartload. We were 
told that Pemberton's men rolled the siege guns down the 
bluff into the Yazoo. The gun-carriages were partly burned. 
The shot and shell were of all kinds and sizes. The enemy 
must have been in a terrible hurry when they left, judging 
from the promiscuous way things were lying around. 
From this position was a splendid view of the surrounding 
country and even Vicksburg could be distinctly seen. Up 



Il8 RKMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROKMER. 

the river toward Memphis eoukl be seen the riee phuita- 
tions on the lowhuuls for twenty-five or tliirty miles. 

These riee tields are very expensive to eonstruet. Kach 
one is surrounded by a wall three or four feet high, and 
wide enough to drive a horse and cart along the to]). In 
the wall are sluices with gates, through which water may 
be let into the tields or out of them, as may be required. 

On this bluff the Battery went into camp, occupying 
some of Pemberton's old redoubts, which were now re- 
versed. The place was so elevated that it seemed useless 
to build redoubts, for no ordinary gun or mortar could reach 
it. Pemberton was caged safely enough ; the iron girdle 
was completely around him ; and he could never get out 
without first handing his sword to Gen. Grant. We were 
placed here merely as outposts to watch Gen. Johnston. 

As this was my iirst visit so far south, I was willing to 
take a few hints from Mrs. Collier, wife of the Mariner's 
captain. She had said that Northerners did not know how 
to take care of themselves in this fever-stricken country, 
so I asked for instruction. She then said that Northerners 
were so imprudent as to sleep out-of-doors without any 
covering. After midnight there was always a cool breeze, 
and then, if people didn't have the proper covering to pro- 
tect them, the southern fever would surely seize them. I 
thanked her and said I would ])rotit by her advice. After 
dinner Dr. Freeman, our Battery Surgeon, and I held a con- 
sultation about the matter, and it was decided to have the 
Surgeon issue an order that every man in the Battery must, 
under penalty, be covered with his blanket, especially after 
12 midnight. The order was made out and read to the 
men at retreat roll-call for several successive nights there- 
after. I also ordered the sergeant of the guard to call me 
at midnight just before the guards were changed, to make 
the rounds with the relief. The first night, three men were 






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120 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Johnston, who was, at that time in the neighborhood of 
Jackson. Battery L was occupying- its position as a picket 
battery. 

During this time one of Gen. Grant's spies, named Kelly, 
made his headquarters with me in my tent. He ^vas 
accustomed to come and go at all hours of the night, to 
pass our pickets, and enter the rebel lines, and visit Vicks- 
burg to see what was going on there. He attended balls 
and parties in Vicksburg and mingled in the best society 
in the city, both civil and military ; he courted the ladies 
and made himself agreeable to all he met. On such occa- 
sions he always wore a fine rebel uniform and posed as an 
officer from some distant part of the Confederacy. When 
he returned from these visits to the rebel city, he would 
come to my tent, change his clothes, and then go to report 
to Gen. Grant. 

I well recollect the evening of the surrender of Vicksburg. 
That same day I had asked Gen. Parke, commanding the 
Ninth Corps, for an order to go out to examine the ap- 
proaches to the position the Battery was then holding. 
Gen. Parke gave me the order and then asked me what 
escort I would have to accompany me on such a perilous 
expedition. I told him I should take two of my sergeants, 
the Captain of a Missouri Battery, and three of his men. 
He replied, "Captain, that will never do. I \\'ill send you 
twelve cavalrymen and a sergeant for your escort to-morrow 
morning at 9 o'clock, but you must be careful. Captain, and 
not venture out too far. What you want to do in front of 
your Battery, is, I understand, to ascertain the character of 
the approaches to the position you are holding." I returned 
to my (|uarters with Gen. Parke's order which read 
thus : 

"Pickets and vedettes will pass Capt. Roomer and escort 
to examine the roads in t'rout of his battery's position on 



HAYNES S BLUFF. I 2 I 

the Mill Dale road July 4th." [Signed] "John G. Parke, 
Maj.-Gen., commanding Ninth Army Corps. 

At 9 p. M. , July 3d, news came that Lieut. -Gen. Pemberton 
had surrendered, and immediately thereafter came an order 
for Battery L to march at 3 p. m. July 4th. Kelly, the spy, 
was in my tent when the order came, and I said to him, 
" Kelly, this is too bad. We have helped to take Vicksburg, 
yet now we are hurried off without being allowed to have a 
chance of seeing the inside of the city." Kelly rose, came 
over to me, and said, "Captain Roemer, where is that order 
Gen. Parke gave you.? Let me see it." I gave it to him, and 
he, after glancing at it and returning it, said, "That order 
is all right. I will get you into Vicksburg before Gen. Grant 
gets there. We must start very early, as we shall have to 
ride some seven or eight miles. We can not get in from the 
front for every road is heavily guarded, but with that order 
we can easily blind the pickets and vedettes. The order 
reads July 4th. Now send for the Missouri captain and his 
lieutenant. If we don't go then, you won't have another 
chance as your Battery moves at 3 p. m. to-morrow, to the 
Big Black River in the direction of Jackson."' 

[In order that certain events that follow may be fully 
understood, it will be necessary to know what are the 
several duties of pickets, vedettes, and the main line, or line 
of battle. Pickets are guards placed in front of the main 
lines of infantry, while vedettes are guards stationed in 
front of the cavalry and also of the infantry pickets. The 
vedettes are always the nearest to the enemy. Seated on 
their horses, they hold their carbines in their right hand 
with their fore-fingers on the triggers. At the least sus- 
picious movement of the enemy they give an alarm or fire 
a shot. This will cause the pickets to be placed under 
arms. If there is any further trouble, the vedettes fall back 
to the picket line, and then, if they are pressed too hard. 



122 REIIIMSCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

l)oth vedettes and pickets will fall back on the main line, 
firing as they retreat. This was the usual practice of both 
armies in the iield. ] 

At 5 A. M. , July 4th, our party consisting- of Kelly, the 
Missouri Battery Captain, and his lieutenant, myself and two 
of my men, a sergeant and a bugler, six in all, started on 
our perilous journey to Vicksburg. We had selected horses 
good at jumping ditches, for Kelly had informed me we 
would have to do some jumping, if we wished to see the 
city, as the main rebel ditch was five feet wide and as many 
deep. We had, however, perfect confidence in the ability 
of our horses. Kelly had a mule which he said he would 
not exchange for the best mule in Gen. Grant's army. We 
passed our main line of pickets and vedettes without 
trouble. But now the officers of the advanced guards 
asked to see my pass. I showed it. "Correct," they 
replied, " pass on." 

We were now between our own and the enemy's lines. 
The enemy's vedettes and pickets had all been withdrawn. 
Their main line, furthermore, had been ordered to advance 
from their main ditch five paces towards our lines, stack 
arms, and return without them. \\'e had now arrived at this 
main ditch, where our horses must show their mettle. 
Kelly took the lead and gave his mule the spur, but the 
mule shook his head, as much as to say, "I'm not going 
over that ditch." I then said, "Kelly, let me try it." 
"Why, Roemer, " said he, "your old plow horse can't make 
it, if my mule can't." However, I determined to tr}'. I 
rode up to the ditch to let my horse see what it was, then 
turned and rode round in a circle and then went over with- 
out any especial exertion. Kelly tried to follow, but still 
his mule would not jump. I went back and formed a ring 
of all the horses, taking the lead myself, with Kelly last. 
This time all went over safely. Now we were really in 



\ 



VICKSBURG 123 

rebeldom. In the gullies along which we rode and into 
which the shot and shell had rolled down from the hills, one 
could have gathered these missiles by the cartload. They 
were of all sorts and sizes, from 3-pounders to 300-pounders. 

Up hill and down dale we went, but it was terribly severe 
on the horses. We finally reached the city which showed 
many marks of the shells of the "swamp angel," the name 
given to a big gun throwing a 400-pound shell. This gun 
opened fire at 6 p. m. every day, and was fired at intervals of 
half an hour all night till 6 the next morning. In different 
sections of the city, we saw where a single shell had gone 
through several houses in succession, making in each a 
hole sufficiently large for a man to crawl through with ease. 

By 10 a", m. we had made a pretty thorough survey of the 
city, and as the formal surrentler was soon to take place in 
front of the City Hall, we started for that point to obtain 
a good view of our late opponents, who were now com- 
pelled once more to bow in obedience under the glorious 
stars and stripes, the emblem of the free and the brave. 
We arrived at 1 1 and, through the influence of our friend 
Kelly (whose cheek could iiever be brcjken by a fall) secured 
a splendid position. He led us straight through the crowd, 
to a point right in front of the City Hall, whence we could 
look southward for a full mile. 

At 1 1 A. M. precisely the head of the column came in 
sight with Gen. Grant on the right. Gen. Sherman on 
the left, and Gen. Pemberton in the center. They were 
followed by all the members of Grant's and Sherman's 
staffs, all looking well, though many of the shoulder straps 
were faded, and well they might, for they had been through 
many a march beneath a southern sun and been wet by 
many a southern rain. Then came a heavy escort of U. S. 
Cavalry, followed by a large force of infantry. After these 
came the prisoners of war, without arms, numbering in all 



124 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

some 30,000. All the ammunition, guns, horses, harnesses, 
ambulances, in fact, everything- had been surrendered ex- 
cept the side-arms of the officers, Avhich they were allowed 
to retain. I am not certain, however, that any below the 
rank of captain were permitted to do so. The ceremony 
was very imposing, but as it was now two o'clock, I told 
Kelly it was high time for me to make my way back to my 
command, as I had quite a distance to go and my horse 
was not overfresh. We had so far ridden somewhere about 
fifty miles, and I knew it was too much to expect of my 
faithful " Dick " that he should go much longer without rest. 
" Dick is all right, Roemer, "' said Kelly. " but my mule is the 
best for traveling around Vicksburg." "Yes," said I, " but he 
comes after Dick, for Dick had to lead the way this morning." 
Time was precious, so, after thanking Kelly for his escort 
so far, I bade him good-bye. • But Kelly would accept no 
thanks. Said he, "Roemer, if you thank me, I will have 
you court-martialed. How about the time you were instru- 
mental in saving my neck from a rebel gallows when they 
were after me. I had to lie in that ditch for sixteen hours, 
and you gave me a cup of delicious coffee to revive me.-'" 
"Well, Kelly," I replied, " if the rebels get after you again 
come to me and I will save you, and give you all the coffee 
you can drink." I now set out to return to the Battery. 
After some miles had been traversed, my si)lendiil horse 
Dick began to act as if he were hurt in some way, but I 
could not locate the injury. As soon as I reached camp I 
charged my groom to examine the horse thoroughly, and 
find out if possible the cause of his peculiar actions. Soon 
after the groom reported that the saddle had worn (juite a 
hole in Dick's back. I was much relieved and very thank- 
ful it was no worse, for Dick was such a faithful horse I did 
not want to be compelled to part with him. That day I 
was in the saddle for fifteen hours. 



JACKSON. 125 

At 3 P. M., July 4th, the Battery left camp and atlvanced 
three miles in the direction of the Big Black River, and 
halted for the night. The next day it went three miles 
farther and halted at a point about one and one-half miles 
from the river, and remained the whole of the 6th as guards 
for the troops engaged in building a bridge over the river. 
The next morning orders came to cross the river. Not 
more than three-quarters of the troops had crossed before 
the bridge broke down, and some horses and ammunition 
wagons went down with it. The troops that had not crossed 
were now ordered to march the next day to Messinger's 
Ford and cross the river over the bridge located there. 
During the night of the 7th a pouring rain storm set in. 
The rain came down by the barrelful, and the ground soon 
became so saturated that it would not hold a tent-peg. 
Lieut. Heasley and I had to stand up all night and hold 
the tent up the best we could to keep it over us. I might 
say without exaggeration, that about forty pailfuls of water 
ran down my back that night. 

The next morning the Battery started for Messinger"s Ford, 
five miles distant. It arrived but it was a pretty soft 
march. It then crossed the bridge and joined the First 
Brigade, 2d Div. , Ninth Corps, commanded by ("ol. Griffin. 
On the 9th it continued the march and arrived at Jackson late 
in the evening. On the iith I received orders from Col. 
Griffin to report the Battery to Gen. Potter, commanding the 
2d Division, at 3:30 p. m. Gen. Potter directed me to remain 
in reserve with horses harnessed and the Battery in readi- 
ness for instant action during the 12th. Late in the after- 
noon of the 12th the Battery was ordered to move to a point 
near the Asylum, and near ^vhich it remained in different 
positions until July 20th. 

On the 15th, as we were very desirous of learning some- 
thing concerning the construction and true position of the 



126 REJIINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

enemy's works which, we had been informed, were built of 
cotton bales, Lieut. Benjamin, commanding Battery E, 2d 
U. S. Art., and I crawled out as near as possible to their 
works and found a place where we had a good view of 
them. We could see plainly that they were built of cotton 
bales, and that leaves had been used in making the 
bales in an endeavor to disguise their true character, and, 
furthermore, that they made tine breastworks. The rebels 
fired over us, for they did not have the slightest inkling of 
our presence so near them. It was raining at the time, and 
as we had to remain there for over an hour, we, of course, 
had our jackets thoroughly soaked. \\'e then made our 
way back to our own lines as best we could. Lieut. Ben- 
jamin ^vas made very sick by this exposure. 

On the 1 6th the Batteries were in ])osition on low ground, 
but still near the Asylum. Both Lieut. Benjamin and I were 
very eager to^get the range of the State House in lackson, 
and we could get it only from some high point. 1 at once 
thought of the Asylum tower. If I could only reach the 
top of it and give Benjamin the cue, we could obtain accur- 
acy in aiming our guns. I made my way to the top, and 
under shelter of the Asylum's flag managed to give the 
pr(>])er signals by motions of my hands previously agreed 
upon. After firing four shots Benjamin had established 
accurately his line of fire, but by this time the rebels had 
detected me behind the fiag, and now they sent a 42-lb. shot 
crashing through the Asylum. It did not take me long to 
come down the ninety-four steps leading down to the 
ground. When outside I stopped to fasten my spurs. 
Just then I heard the clatter of a horse's hoofs and, looking 
around, I saw Oen. Parke come galloping up, jiell-mell. 
around the Asylum. Calling me, he asked, " Roemer, have 
you been up in the tower.'' " "'rower.''" said I, "What 
tower.''" "The tower of the Asvlum,"he rci)Iicd. "No, 



JACKSON. 127 

sir," I answered. (This was only a little white lie, and I 
don't think the g^oblins will get me for telling it). " I came 
here just at this moment." "Well," said he, "some one 
must have been up there or the enemy would never have 
aimed that shot at the Asylum." "General," said I, "I 
know nothing about it." Gen. Parke then rode off to make 
further investigation. Inasmuch as the line of fire had 
already been established and Benjamin had obtained accurate 
range on the State House, I did not mind the story I had 
told Gen. Parke. Benjamin peppered them well during the 
ensuing night, and the next morning it was found that 
nearly all the rebels had left the town. 

As I wanted to know how many shots Benjamin had put 
through the State House, I went there to find out. The 
investigation showed that some seven or eight had gone 
straight through it. In the Governor's room it was clear 
"He took his hat an' lef bery sudden, an" I 'spec he's run 
away." One of his shoes lay in one corner, his vest in 
another and confusion reigned throughout. The bed was 
strewn with brick and mortar. Leaving the State House I 
rode over to the Pearl River. Our infantry were in possession 
of the approach to the bridge, and a guard was stationed 
there. I was just about to ride over the bridge when an 
infantryman sprang up and seized my horse by the bridle, 
at the same time calling out, " For God's sake, Captain, 
don't go another step or you are a dead man." He then 
with his bayonet picked a hand grenade out of the sand It 
seemed that when the rebels left Jackson they also left 
many grenades at various points in the road, and so 
covered with sand that they coukl not be seen. I was not 
aware of this fact until this soldier informed me. He also 
told me that our infantry had found the matter out through 
having some of their men blown up by these hidden gren- 
ades. While I was conversing with this soldier a rebel pris- 



128 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

oner a little distance away was telling- how the enemy had 
fooled our troops. In the midst of his story he accidentally 
stepped on one of the grenades and it exploded, tearing his 
legs from his body. Instantly he lay dead in a pool of 
blood. While sitting there looking' at that dead rebel, 
I could not but wonder at the quantity of blood in a human 
body. I have seen hundreds of wounded men, but I have 
never witnessed another scene like that. I felt very sorry 
for this poor fellow, who had lost his life throug-h the 
actions of his own people. It was a most sickening sight. 

Now, no longer caring to look at the beautiful Pearl 
River, I turned and rode back to Jackson. At the entrance 
to the city I was met by one of the men, Sergeant Ross- 
bach, who said, "Captain, I have found a lot of salt in that 
long- building yonder." I told him to go to a store and get 
two bags. He did so, and we put about a bushel of salt in 
each. While engaged in this matter, one of the aides gal- 
k)ped up, and called out, " Roemcr, get out of this building 
with your sergeant as quickly as possible. The rebels have 
just attempted to blow up the gas-house, and a big fire is 
raging only two doors above this art)und the corner." We 
hurried out of the building, but the salt was not left, for it 
was far too precious. The sergeant and another horseman 
who had come out with him, each took a bag and carried it 
to cam]). I then rode around the block to where the fire 
was raging like a furnace. I had to cross one of the main 
avenues of the city to go away from it and just as I reached 
the middle of the a\'enue, a blast of hot air struck me. ^ly 
horse bounded, and if I had been sitting loosely in the sad- 
dle, I would surely have been thrown off, and yet I was a 
hundred yards away from the burning building. I had gone 
l)ut one block farther when tlie _gas-house was lilown up 
with a crash that sliook the town. 

The salt found in Jackson was a great acciuisition for the 



JACKSON. 129 

Battery, for both men and horses had needed it for some 
time. Salt is one of the necessities of life, and must be 
provided in order to maintain an army in good health. The 
same is true, in a measure, of pepper. I often think that 
Battery L would have suffered more from sickness than it 
did if I had not been careful to keep a proper supply of 
these articles constantly on hand, in accordance with the 
advice of the Battery's surgeon. Dr. Edwin Freeman, to 
whom, indeed, the men of the Battery were greatly indebted 
in many ways. 

To Dr. Freeman great credit must be given that so 
few of the members of the Battery were sick during the 
time they were in camp around Vicksburg and Jackson, 
where so many died of malarial fever. Even when he was 
sick and confined to his cot, the Doctor measured out 
quinine in varying amounts, which my son Louis (who was 
sitting by the Doctor's bedside) put up in packages suitably 
marked. These packages were given to me and I would 
then treat the men to a dose of the requisite amount when- 
ever they might chance to need it. I must say that the 
men did not always relish the dose, although to take it was 
compulsory under General Orders. Sometimes as much as 
twenty grains were given in one dose, and often when the 
men were verj- weak, a little commissary (whiskey) would 
be given in addition, which, strange to say, they always 
took without a murmur, and, in fact, seemed willing to 
take the quinine for the .sake of getting some of the 
commissary. Our care in this respect was well rewarded, 
for only one man died of the fever ; and he was my own 
body-servant, a colored man named Stonewall Jackson, 
whom I had brought with me from Virginia. 

I now give my official report of the part taken by Battery 
L in the INIississippi Campaign made to Gen. Potter, com- 
manding Second Division, Ninth Corps : ' 



130 reminisceinxes of major roemer. 

Headquarters, Battery L, 2d N. Y. Art., 
Near Jackson, Miss., July 18, 1863. 
Capt. H. R. — A. A. G. 2d Div. , 9TH Army Corps: 

Sir : — I have the honor to report according to General 
Order, No. 13, from Headquarters, 2d Div., 9th A. C. , 
received July i8th, 1863, as follows: 

At 9 p. M. , July 3, while before Vicksburg-, this Battery 
received orders to march at 3 p. m. , July 4th, towards the 
Big Black River. At that time it marched out three miles 
from the Bryan House. July 5th it again marched three 
miles and encamped one and one-half miles from the river. 
On the 6th, it remained in camp all day awaiting the build- 
ing of the bridge across the river. On the 7th that part of 
the 9th Corps began crossing the bridge and was engaged 
in crossing all day. Near sunset the bridge broke down 
and a part of Durell's Battery, my own Battery, and a regi- 
ment of infantry wxre unable to cross. July 8th, I received 
orders from Col. Griftin, commanding 1st Brig., 2d Div., 
9th A. C. , to take my own Battery and the remaining part 
of Durell's Battery to Messinger's Ford, some five miles 
down the river on the right bank and cross at that point at 
II A. M. I joined Col. Griffin's command at 8:30 p. m. 

July 9th, by orders from Col. Griffin, I put my right section 
in position on the Jackson road. I started again on the march 
July loth, and at 9 a. m. arrived at a point within three 
miles of Jackson, Miss., where I received orders from Gen. 
Potter, commanding 2d Div., 9th A. C. , to take position on 
the right of the Vicksburg and Jackson R. R. On the iith 
I received orders to follow the 2d Brigade and park the Bat- 
tery east of the Lunatic Asylum. The Battery remained at 
that point part of July iith, and all of the 12th, on which 
day orders were received for all batteries to fire 30 rounds per 
gun. I asked both Gen. Potter and Gen. Parke for permission 
to assist Lieut. Benjamin in ascertaining what effect his fire 
had upon the State House by ascending the toAver of the 
Asylum with which Gen. Parke is acquainted. On the 13th, 
in accordance with orders to move the Battery to a more 
sheltered position, it moved one-half mile northeast to the 
position I am now holding. 

I regret that Battery L has not been of more service to my 



JACKSON. I 3 I 

new commander than it has been. The Battery is now, as 
it always has been, ready for any emerg-ency. During the 
time covered by this report, the Battery has suffered no 
casualities whatever and has fired 115 rounds of ammuni- 
tion. I have the honor to be. Captain, 

Your most obedient servant, 

[Signed] Jacob Roemer, 

Capt. Com'd'g- Battery L, 2d N. Y. Art. 

On the I9tli the Battery received orders to be ready to 
march back to Vicksburg at 4 a. m. on the 20th and to go 
with the last Brigade. Its time to fall in did not come till 
9 A. M. It marched the whole of that day to get into posi- 
tion so as to be at the head of the column on the 21st. 
How the men suffered on that march in rear of that great 
mass of troops, horses, wagons, ambulances, etc., from heat 
and dust, of which the latter was the worst, being fairly 
knee-deep. At 5 p. m. it passed the first Ifivouac, but it was 
not until 12.30 a. m. on the 21st, that it reached its own 
place of bivouac. It had marched twenty-four miles. I 
need not say that everybody was thankful. As soon as it 
halted the horses were ordered to be unhitched and tied to 
the picket-rope but not to be watered until 2:30 a. m. as they 
were so heated. The men then dropped where they stood 
for a short rest, for the Battery had to start on the march 
again at 4 a. m. 

At 4 A. n., July 2 1st, the Battery left camp with the ist 
Brig, of the 2d Div. Ninth Corps at the head of the column, 
and reached the Big Black River at 5.30 p. m. having 
marched nineteen miles. It bivouacked on the left bank 
of the river in a field of fine grass on the right of the road, 
while the infantry supports bivouacked on the left of the 
road. Orders now came to be ready to march at 5 a. m., 
July 22, but the order to march did not come until 6, and 
with that came an order for each command to return to its 
old quarters near Yicksburg without further orders. 



132 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Immediately the bugle call, "'Boots and Saddles, " was 
sounded and the Battery was soon on the road. It crossed 
over Messinger's Bridge to the other side of the Big Black 
where stood the beautiful IMessinger mansion, for the time 
being the headquarters of Gen. Parke of the Ninth Corps. 
While marching by, Gen. Parke came out on the piazza and 
the Battery passed in review. Then the general called me 
and asked, "Captain, how many horses did you lose yes- 
terday.'"' "None, General,"" I replied. "How is your 
saddle-horse that was ailing yesterday .-^ '" he again incjuired. 
"He is under me. General," I answered. "I can't under- 
stand how it is,"' said he, " I have received reports this morn- 
ing from three batteries that they have within two days lost 
ninety-four horses while you have lost none. I would like 
to see you, Captain, this evening at my headcjuarters at ^lil 
Dale. I see you are the first on the road this morning. Keep 
clear of the ambulances. '' "I will be six or eight miles ahead 
of everything on the other side of the bridge,"" said I. 

The Battery went on trying to get as much headway as 
possible during the cool of the morning. The big hill three 
and one-half miles from its old camp soon came in sight. 
The men did not like to look at it long, for they knew they 
had to climb it and under a hot sun. Crawling slowly up 
the hill, all felt as if the sun would melt us, but knowing 
that gaining the top meant dinner, we persevered. The 
Battery soon reached the top where a grove of live oaks 
stood to welcome them. What a feast for weary eyes it 
was after that wearying climb. Here a halt was made for 
one liour and a half to refresh men and horses. The men 
ate what they liad in their haversacks for lunch washing it 
down with good hot coffee. At 1:30 it started for the old 
camp ground at Mill Dale and arrived at 3. The horses 
were soon unharnessed and then the boys set to work to 
get up a good diinier. 



VICKSBURG. 133 

Some ducks and chickens perambulating around annoyed 
them considerably and they were not long- in capturing 
them, thus putting an end to the annoyance, and at the 
same time, obtaining good materials for a dinner. They 
looked around for the planter who owned them that they 
might pay him, but did not succeed in tinding him. This 
fact did not prevent them, however, from going on with 
their preparations for a feast. They sent us officers, for 
our especial benefit, several splendidly roasted ducks. Our 
mouths watered as we gazed at them. 

Just as we Avere about to begin operations on the ducks, 
a very heavy thunder-storm accompanied by a high wind 
broke over us with such force that our ducks and the boys" 
feast as well as everything else that was loose, were swept 
away and carried over to the Yazoo to feed the buffalo-tish. 
Some of the boys declared that they saw the fish open their 
mouths and swallow a whole duck at a time. I, of course, 
cannot vouch for the truth of this story, as I did not have 
my field-glass ready to investigate the matter. However, I 
told the boys they shouldn't mind, for on the 9th of August 
we would have a buffalo-fish chowder, and then they might 
have a chance to recover some of the ducks and chickens 
they had just lost. 

Nothing further of importance occurred the remainder of 
the month outside the usual routine of carnp life except that 
the tents were shifted to higher ground. Several mounted 
battery drills were held to give the men antl horses a little 
exercise. On Sunday, August 2d, there was an inspection 
of tents, clothing, and horses. 

The 9th of August was approaching and the chowder 
party had to be provided for. This was to celebrate the 
anniversary of the Battery's first battle, that of Cedar Moun- 
tain in 1S62. The Committee of Arrangements consisted of 
Lieut. Heasley, Ylrst Serg't }. J. Johnston, Q. 'SI. Serg't 



134 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Miller and three privates. They purchased three buffalo- 
fish, weighing respectively 87, 93 and 98 pounds, a total 
weight of 278 pounds which was thought to be fully suf- 
ficient for the needs of the men and their guests. 

An order came the day before to have the Battery ready 
to embark as the steamer would arrive on the 9th. This 
was a most important order and had to be obeyed at once, 
yet the preparations for the chowder and the celebration 
went on. On the morning of the 9th, everything looked 
favorable for the celebration of our anniversary. Friends, 
both civil and military, were invited to partake of our feast 
and every one made merry at our celebration on the banks 
of the "^'azoo, and all pronounced the chowder to be a com- 
plete success. 

The steamer Euicrahl arrived at 9 a. m. \\'e looked down 
upon her while still sitting at our feast and wondered when 
we should have another similar feast. When all had fin- 
ished their repast, they were ready for work, and at 6:30 
p. M. everything pertaining to the Battery was on board the 
boat. It then started for the Mississippi but its progress 
was, for some reason, rather slow. During the following 
day, the loth, nothing of importance occurred. The chow- 
der had produced a beneficial effect. All felt happy and 
contented, but no one cared to feed the buffalo-fish acrain. 



CHAPTER Vll 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVILLE. 

The steamer arrived at Memphis, Tenn., on the 12th and 
after coaling, started for Cairo, 111., where it arrived on the 
morning- of August 15th. I then reported at once to Gen. 
Buford for orders. In accordance with his orders the Bat- 
tery was disembarked and placed on cars for transportation 
to Cincinnati, O. , where it arrived at 5 a. m. August i8th. 
I immediately reported to Gen. Parke who ordered the Bat- 
tery to cross the Ohio and encamp at Covington, Ky. , on 
the banks of Licking River. The camp was established on 
the 19th. 

The 10,000 infantry and four batteries of the Ninth Corps 
which had assisted Gen. Grant in taking Vicksburg and for 
wdiich Gen. Burnside had sent after the fall of Vicksburg, 
were inspected on the 24th to ascertain how many of them 
were fit for hard service. About 1000 infantry and Battery 
L were the only troops found fit to form the rear guard of 
the troops that had been ordered to take Cumberland Gap 
and advance into Tennessee to effect a permanent lodgment 
in that state. During the six days following the review 
spoken of above, there was a great mortality among the 
troops from chronic diarrhoea. Battery L had 44 officers 
and men out of a total of 99 in all, sick with this dread 
disease. 

On the day preceding the review orders came from Gen. 



136 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Willcox for the Battery to be ready to go by rail to Xicholas- 
ville, and, in the meantime, to make out requisitions for all 
ammunition and stores needed and to draw the same from 
the arsenal at Cincinnati. 

The next morning- I went with Serg-'t Werner and four 
men and a four-horse wagon to draw these supplies. While 
in Cincinnati I called on Dr. Freeman, the Battery surgeon, 
and my little son Louis, both of whom were on the sick 
list with the Yazoo fever which they had contracted at 
Vicksburg. Both were doing well yet they had to be left 
behind. Great credit is due to Dr. Freeman for his exer- 
tions in behalf of the men of Battery L while they were at 
Vicksburg. Many of them would never have reached Cov- 
ington but for him. All that went to Vicksburg returned to 
Covington and this occasioned much wonder among all 
commanding officers, because the mortality among the 
other troops was so great. The U. S. Battery and Durell's 
Battery together did not bring as many men back to Cov- 
ington as Battery L alone did. These batteries were not 
able to move on account of the sickness among the men, 
until the spring of 1864. 

Having obtained the ammunition and stores required, we 
returned to Covington and camp at 10 p. m. I at once 
visited all the sick and learned that they had had nothing to 
eat during the entire day. I immediately ordered three 
camp kettles to be filled with water and hung over the tire 
to boil. As soon as the water was hot enough, I put into 
the kettles the proper cpiantity of farina and sugar, to make 
three kettles of gruel, and as I had on hand three bottles of 
whiskey given me by the Sanitary Commission, I added 
these to the gruel, thinking the whiskey would give it a 
better flavor. Each of the sick was served with a bowl of 
this gruel, and after it was disposed of, the roll was called 
to ascertain how many would be able to go on the march 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVILLE. 1 37 

with the Battery the next day, the 25th, if ordered to march. 
All but seven were found able. 

On the receipt of Gen. Willcox's telegraphic orders to be 
ready to march, I had immediately telegraphed back that I 
was not able to load the Battery on the train because so 
many of my men were sick. He had at once replied by 
telegraph, "Call on a regiment of infantry to load the Bat- 
tery. Do not use any of your own men. I will have fifty 
men ready to unload it as soon as you reach Nicholasville. 
I have a fine camp-ground prepared for you. You must 
come. *' 

Having completed all the preliminary arrangements for 
our departure on the morrow in anticipation of the receipt 
of marching orders, I went to bed at about midnight of the 
24th, but before 2 o'clock a. m. , I was seized with the 
dreaded fever. I at once sent a horseman post-haste to 
Covington for Dr. Z. Freeman, brother of our Battery Sur- 
geon. He came with his wife in a carriage at 5 a. m. His 
first salutation was, "Hallo, Captain, what is the matter 
with you.'" "Thafs what I want to know," I replied, 
"and that's why I sent for you." I then told him all about 
myself, and after this, he remarked, "I consulted my 
brother Edwin about you before coming. He said you had 
a good strong constitution and I could use extreme measures 
with you, and that I shall do. Now put yourself under my 
care and we will see what can be done." I did so and in 
about three hours I was in condition to move around. 

On the morning of the 30th orders came from Gen. Pot- 
ter to proceed to Nicholasville. I sent for First Sergeant 
Johnston and directed him to ascertain how many of the 
sick were determined to go to the Hospital. He returned 
shortly and reported the number. These men were imme- 
diately sent off in an ambulance in charge of a sergeant who 
was directed to call afterwards on Col. Gerhardt, 65th N. Y. 



138 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

v., give him the compliments of Gen. Willcox and m3'self, 
and ask for a detail of one hundred men to assist in loading 
the Battery and the sick of my command on the cars. I 
assured all the sick men that if they went with the Battery 
the best of care would be taken of them, and that as soon 
as we reached the mountains a change for the better would 
certainly occur. 

On the morning of the 31st one hundred rtien of the 46th 
N. Y. v., reported for duty. By noon the Battery was 
loaded on the train with the sick placed under the gun- 
carriages and caissons. Now, everything being in readi- 
ness, the train started for Nicholasville. It was wonderful 
to notice the change for the better that took place in the 
condition of the sick during this ride through the blue grass 
region of Kentucky. 

The Battery arrived at Nicholasville September ist. Gen. 
Willcox and the Division Quartermaster were on hand with 
a detail of thirty men from the 46th N. Y. V., to assist in 
unloading the Battery. The sick men were soon made 
comfortable in tents that had already been provided for 
them by Gen. Willcox previous to our arrival. The Bat- 
tery's camp was situated in a fine grove of trees, with a 
spring of good water near by. This camp was called Camp 
Parke, in honor of Gen. Parke, the commander of that part 
of the Ninth Corps that went to Yicksburg. The Division 
Surgeon visited all the sick and began at once to adminis- 
ter heavy doses of quinine. Here we remained five days, 
or until all the troops that were expected to come, had 
arrived. These troops formed the reserve guard of Gen. 
Burnside's Army of the Ohio, and consisted of those found 
fit for duty after the Vicksburg Campaign, new recruits and 
various details from Covington. To make up for the Bat- 
tery's lack of men, caused by sickness, etc,, thirty men 
were detailed from the 46th N. Y. V. to serve temporarily 



VICKSBURG TO KXOXVILLE. 1 39 

with it, although more than half of the sick who came with 
it from Covington, had, by this time, fulh' recovered. The 
Surgeon gave me a two-ounce vial of quinine for use dur- 
ing the expected march over the mountains. 

September 6th the order came for the Battery to start on 
the march over the Cumberland Mountains and follow Gen. 
Burnside into Tennessee. I was very sorry I was obliged 
to leave Sergeant Werner behind at Camp Parke, for he was 
a very promising young non-commissioned officer, and was 
likely to be promoted to a higher grade. He was with me 
in Cincinnati, August 24th, assisting in drawing supplies, 
and was taken sick at the same time I was. I tried to per- 
suade him to go with the Battery, but he said he was too 
sick by far to do so. There was not much excitement dur- 
ing this march over the mountains, although there were one 
or two hair-breadth escapes from being crushed by rocks 
rolling down the mountain side while the Battery was 
climbing the high precipices over which passed the military 
road around the mountain, constructed by the pioneers. At 
some points on one side of the road the mountain's top 
could not be seen, while on the other side its base was not 
visible. The woods below, as seen from the tops of the 
high cliffs, had rather the appearance of a potato patch. 

One most striking incident occurred in the Battery while 
on this mountain march. It was climbing up a steep 
grade with the mountain on the left, and on the right, a 
precipice at least two hundred feet down, while the Cum- 
berland flowed along far below us. just then one of the 
Battery officers called out, "Captain, the battery-wagon is 
going over the precipice. The horses won't pull ; they are 
letting it run. " I saw at once there wasn't a second to 
spare. I galloped back and wheeled my horse alongside 
the pole team. I threw myself over to the right, hanging 
to the saddle with my left leg. seized the end of the pole 



140 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

with my right hand and pulled with all my mig-ht 
until I felt the left wheel strike the stock (or reach, 
as it is commonly called). I then ordered every wheel 
to be blocked, the horses to be unhitched (as they could 
not be trusted in such a situation) and the wagon to 
be moved, inch by inch, by the cannoneers, until it was 
once more in the regular road. Had this wagon gone 
down that two-hundred-foot precipice, four drivers, myself 
and nine horses would have been dashed to pieces among 
the woods or on the rocks below. It was a very narrow 
escape, as the hind wheels of the wagon came within eigh- 
teen inches of the precipice. Even to-day, while writing 
about it, the thought of it causes the hair to rise on my head 
like the quills on the back of a fretful porcupine. 

I have said on a preceding page that there was not much 
excitement during this march over the mountains, but the 
reader may, perhaps, think by the time he has tinished this 
account of it, that there was really an abundance of it, for 
as the Battery went on farther, another strange occurrence 
took place. The Battery had come to position of the road 
around the mountain that was so narrow for a distance of 
three miles that but one wagon could pass at a time. 
While the Battery was coming up the road going south, a 
train of three hundred baggage wagons was also coming up 
from the other side going north. As I rode up to the guard 
station, the sergeant on duty there said, "Captain, you will 
have to wait until the train coming from the south passes 
you. Park your battery so that the wagons can pass it." 
1 then rode over to the officer in command of the station 
and asked him how much of a train was coming north. 
He could not say for certain but he thought it was a very 
large one. After the Battery had been so parked that any 
number of wagons could i)ass easily, I rode leisurely south- 
ward to ascertain the nund)er of wagons composing the train. 



1 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVII.LE. 14I 

I had not gone far before I saw the head of the train coming- 
around the mountain with an officer riding in front. I rode 
forward to meet him and just when I was near ei:iough to 
him to speak to him, the first baggage-wagon with a snow- 
white canvas cover came up. The wind was blowing a 
gale. Suddenly, a puff of wind caught the white cover and 
it fluttered. At once there was a clatter of hoofs, my horse 
made a side-spring, and over the bank we went, my horse 
and I, before I knew what had happened. At the instant 
he rose to jump, I closed my thighs hard against the saddle. 
The horse jumped fully ten feet down amongst a mass of 
bushes and landed upright on all fours. He knew he had 
done wrong, and as soon as he had landed, he scrambled 
back to the place whence he had sprung, bringing me also 
back safe and sound. 

The officer commanding the train was completely dumb- 
founded by the occurrence, our disappearance had been so 
sudden, and his face was as white as the wagon-cover. 
His salutation when I came up again, was, "Captain, there 
was one chance in five thousand for you and you had it." 
Had my horse not been so sure-footed as he was, we would 
both have been hurled into the Cumberland River after 
tumbling over huge rocks, stumps, etc. ; nothing could have 
saved us from meeting a watery grave. The Battery, after 
this train had passed, went on without any other mishap, 
and reached Barboursville, Sunday, September 13th. 

This was a day of rest for the whole reserve. I did not feel 
at all well; my head ached so at times that I thought I should 
go crazy. The surgeon came to my tent early in the morn- 
ing and gave me a dose of quinine, and that turned my head 
completely. Gen. Ferrero called to see me and ask how I 
was. I ordered him to shut the tent and not speak to me. 
Afterwards the general always regarded it as a good joke 
that I had ordered him out of my tent. 



14 2 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROE.MER. 

In the afternoon the Battery was inspected and sick-call 
held. The next morning, of the forty men brought along 
sick from Covington, all but two reported fit for duty. I 
also received word from Covington that five of the seven 
enlisted men left there had died. Among these were Ser- 
geant Werner and Corporal Edw. Johnston whom I was 
very sorry to lose, for they were most excellent non-com- 
missioned officers, and just then the Battery was greatly in 
need of such. 

After our Sunday's rest the march was resumed and Cum- 
berland Gap was reached on the 20th, and that night the 
Battery bivouacked on Tennessee soil. Some of us 
inspected the earthworks the rebels had built there and 
learned how our advance army had taken the Gap. It had 
advanced over rocks and ledges and burnt the mill and 
storehouse before the rebels were aware of it ; the latter 
had had no idea the "Yankees " were so close at hand. 
Thousands of bushels of grain were destroyed by this burn- 
ing of the mill and storehouse. Three States, Virginia, 
Kentucky and Tennessee, meet at Cumberland Gap. On one 
side of the road is a large square monument of stone about 
three feet square, and standing four feet above the ground. 
If one walks around this, he will put his feet successively 
in each of the three States, whose boundaries it marks. 

At this place most of the men who had been left sick in 
Covington having recovered, came up and rejoined their 
respective commands. Thus by the return of the convales- 
cents, the reserve army was constantly being reinforced, 
and had by this time been considerably increased in num- 
bers. It consisted mainly of the troops that had been in 
the Vicksburg Campaign, viz., the 36th Mass. Vols., the 
46th, 51st and 79th N. Y. Vols., the 51st Pa. Vols., and the 
2d, 8th, 17th and 27th Mich. Vols. All of these regiments 
were of the best cpiality and woukl sujiport and defend Bat- 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVILLE. 143 

tery L to the last, and at all hazards, and Battery L would 
do the same for them. Troops that have fought side by 
side as we had, become well acquainted with one another, 
and friendships formed under such circumstances are almost 
always lasting. 

The Battery left Cumberland Gap on the 2ijt, taking the 
road to Knoxville, Tenn. , and the next day reached Clinch 
INIountain, over which it had to climb three miles up and 
the same down, making six miles of most tiresome march- 
ing. The ascent was comparatively easy, but when the 
peak was reached, how to make the turn there in safety was 
the great problem, for the top is composed of immense flat 
blocks of stone, and as the road-bed over these was not 
sufHciently wide, the width had been increased to some 
extent by a wall of stone built against the rock. The wall 
was four feet thick and about eight feet high from its bottom 
to the level of the rock. All the gun-carriages and caissons 
passed over in safety and without difficulty, but when the 
battery-wagon drawn by eight horses came up, the eight 
horses had to take a wider swing than any of the others, 
and the hind wheel slipped off the rock upon the wall. The 
immense weight of the wagon tore the wall from the rock. 
The result was, the wagon, eight horses and four tlrivers 
went down the mountain side, turned over thrice in the 
descent, and finally, struck a stump, which stopped them 
and saved watron, men and horses, from rolling a mile 
down the mountain side. 

Imagine every ones astonishment when one ot the drivers, 
without his cap, and with his clothing almost completely 
torn from his body, crawled out from under his horse, stood 
up. rubbed his head, and called out, " The Berliner is alive 
yet ! " (Berliner was his nick name in the Battery ; his real 
name was Henry Kasemeyer). Strange to say, none of the 
men or horses were injured to any great extent. Just as 



144 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the "Berliner'' called out, Gen. Ferrero, who was riding- 
beside me, turned to me and said, "This is the most singular 
occurrence I ever witnessed." He then gave orders to 
relieve the horses and to let the wagon remain where it lay, 
as it was securely held, until the next day. The Battery 
then proceeded on its way down the mountain breaking, in 
the meantime,, fourteen lock chains. No ordinary wagon 
could pass along such a road as this was ; only the most 
strongly built artillery carriages could stand the racking. 
The Battery reached Morristown the same day. Just as it 
was entering the place, an aide on Gen. Willcox's staff rode 
up to me and said, "Captain, the general wishes to see 
you." The Battery went on into camp, while 1 accom- 
panied the aide to the general's headquarters. As soon as 
he saw me, he helped me to dismount and said, " Your 
looks, Captain, tell me you saw severe service at the Siege 
of Vicksburg, l)ut, my boy, I am proud of the Battery. 
Gen. Parke has told me all about it. Come in and sit on 
my cot. I have a bottle of wine for you, antl we'll drink it 
while you are telling me all about your horses. Gen. 
Parke could not understand \\'hy it was that the two U. S. 
Batteries and Durell's Battery lost 94 horses, while yours 
lost none, though they marched the same distance you did 
and under the same orders from Gen. Parke. Ikit let us 
first have a glass of wine together, for you look wearied 
and worn, Captain. 1 told you in Lexington, when I 
inspected your Battery ])revious to sending you to Vicks- 
burg, I would hear good news from your Battery. Now, 
tell all about your management of your horses." "Gen- 
eral," I began, "I told Gen. Parke at Mill Dale, Miss., that 
if I should tell everything relating to my management of 
my horses on that famous march from Jackson to Vicks- 
burg, he would have me court-martialed, because I had 
gone directly, contrary to U. S. Army Regulations, but 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVILLE. 14 5 

as you want to know the whole story I will tell you 
all."' 

"On the first day's march the Battery was in rear of the 
whole column of 1 5,000 men. The column started at 4 a. m. , 
but my turn to fall into the column did not come until 9. 
The day was exceedingly hot and the dust in the road was 
knee-deep. As my battery was in the rear, it had to halt 
every ten or fifteen minutes. This is very wearisome for 
horses in column. The column, furthermore, was to be 
reversed at the bivouac. My Battery was with the First 
Brigade of the 2d Division, and had to be at the head of the 
column the next morning. At 5 in the afternoon I arrived 
at the place where the first troops bivouacked, and it 
was not till half an hour after midnight that the Battery 
arrived at the place where it was to bivouac. I saw that 
all the horses of the batteries that had reached their 
appointed places had been unhitched, unharnessed, and sent 
to water, but I considered it wrong to water those horses 
at that time, for they were all too wet with sweat and too 
fatigued by the heat. When the Battery reached the place 
assigned to it on the left of the road, and had been properly 
parked, my First Sergeant, Johnston, asked, 'Where are the 
horses to be watered ? ' I replied, 'Not a horse of this Bat- 
tery is to be watered before half past two, under heavy pen- 
alties.' I then gave orders for the horses to be unhitched, 
unharnessed, and tied to the picket rope, and then each one 
to be rubbed down while so tied, but to have no feed or 
water until half past two." 

"I then rode over to Gen. Parke's quarters and told as 
pitiful a story as I could about my horses, — how fatigued, 
worn down and exhausted they were, — and asked as a favor 
to be allowed to march the next day with the First Brigade, 
and also to have four or five hundred yards distance at the 
head of the column so that the Battery need not be com- 



146 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

pelled to halt every ten or tifteen minutes, for the main 
column, as we had had t(^ do the day l)efore. Gen. Parke 
replied, "I cannot allow you any such distance, but will 
give you two hundred yards as you have always been very 
careful of your horses.' The next day the Battery went on 
until it was within two or three miles of the Big- Black River 
when Gen. Parke rotlc up to me and said, ' Captain, when 
vou reach the river, you and your brigade will bi^•ouac close 
to it. Post the infantry so that they can easily support you 
during the night.' I immediately galloped ahead and se- 
lected a position on the right of the road in a tield of splen- 
did grass in which I could refresh the horses. I sent my 
orderly back with orders for the brigade and the Battery to 
come up at once. When the Battery arrived, I ordered it 
to be parked in the grass field on the right, and also ordered 
the horses to l)c unhitched, unharnessed, and to have one 
hour in the grass, during which time they were to be rubbed 
down, and, when this was done, to be watered and fed. I 
posted the infantry support on the left of the road, as the 
river on my right, made a sharp bend to the left. Mess- 
inger's Ford and Bridge were directly in front, and I, there- 
fore, considered the position of the First Brigade and the 
Battery to be a very strong one. The next morning, the 
march towards Vicksburg was resumed at 6 o'clock and on 
the 26th of July the Battery reached its old camp ground at 
Mill Dale. This, Gen. Willcox, is all the story I have to 
relate regarding the care bestowed upon the horses of Bat- 
tery L while it was in Mississi])])i. Now, General, good-by, 
for 1 must follow the Battery." " Very well done," said he, 
"good-by."' 

The next day, the 23d, I went back up the mountain with 
twelve men, ten horses, tackle and tools to make a road out 
to the battery wagon to bring it back to the road, and even 
then, tifteen men more had to be sent for to tinisli the job of 



VICKSBURG TO KNOXVILLE. 14/ 

recovering the wagon. The battery wagon was so essential 
a part of the Battery's equipment, that it could not be left 
behind. This wagon always contained stores of all kinds 
that might be needed, except ammunition; in fact, it was the 
Battery's storehouse. 

To give some idea of the roughness of these roads over 
the mountains, it is only necessary to say, that, before leav- 
ing Covington, I drew five hundred horseshoes, (as I usually 
had about one hundred horses with the Battery), and that 
when the Battery reached Morristown not one was left. 
The loss per day was from twenty to thirty-five. Every 
evening the sergeants had to report to me the number of 
shoes lost by the horses of his command during the day. 
The horses had to be shod at night by the Battery's two 
farriers, that all might be ready for work in the morning. 

The Battery left Morristown the same day at i p. m. for 
Russellville, and shortly after its arrival there, orders came 
to return to Morristown the next day. It returned as ordered 
and on the 25th left Morristown for Knoxville where it 
arrived on the 26th in company with the Ninth Corps. As 
soon as the enemy saw the Ninth Corps advancing against 
Knoxville, they evacuated it and our entrance into the town 
was comparatively easy. Accompanying the Union troops 
was a man very widely known at that time, named \Vm. G. 
Brownlow and generally called "Parson" Brownlow. He 
was quite a prominent man during the whole of the Ten- 
nessee campaign and did good service in conducting hun- 
dreds of women and children across the Holston River and 
into Kentucky. On the second day after our arrival, word 
passed through the Corps that the "Parson" would deliver 
one of his characteristic speeches in the evening at his 
residence. It is needless to say that when evening came, 
thousands of people, both soldiers and citizens, were on 
hand to listen to him. I can see him yet, as he appeared 



148 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

when we approached the house. He was standing- on a 
porch in front of it, and welcomed us as we drew near. 
He began to speak, and his voice was so loud, so distinct, 
and so penetrating, that every word he uttered could be 
clearly understood by everyone in that vast assemblage. 
Of course I cannot repeat his remarks, but I know his 
speech impressed everyone who heard it, most forcibly. 
One sentence I remember very distinctly, it was so 
emphatic. Speaking in his loudest voice, he said : " Boys, 
I don't wish the rebels any harm. O ! No ! All I wish 
for them is, that each rebel had a millstone tied around his 
neck and then be let down into hell for twenty-four hours : 
then they wouldn't trouble us any more ! " 

Before the arrival of the Ninth Corps he had had very 
much trouble with the rebels, for while the latter held pos- 
session of Knoxville, he had not dared to show himself in 
the streets for fear of his life, and to saA'e it he had been 
compelled to keep away from the town. 



CHAPTER Vlll 



THE TEXXESSEE*CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELLS STATION. 

Up to the first of October everything was quiet and 
peaceful, and the men took advantage of this state of affairs 
to put the Battery in perfect order. Tlie gun-carriages, 
caissons and wagons were repaired ; the horses were newly 
shod and fed carefully to put them in perfect condition ; in 
fact, everything was done to prepare the Battery for efhcient 
service. The Battery was inspected at 9 a. m. on the 4th. 
In the afternoon it went out for mounted battery drill from 
2 to 4 o'clock, and then practised target-firing, during which, 
twenty-six rounds were fired. Of course, while the Battery 
remainetl (]uiet in camp the boys would have their fun, and 
to do a little foraging was quite natural. Woe to the pig or 
the chicken that came in their way, and it was astonishing 
how they managed to keep these captures out of sight of 
their officers. I have been told of many such doings, by 
my boys, since the war. 

The Battery started out at 7 a. m. October loth, on the 
Bull's Gap road and arrived at Blue Springs at about 1 1 a. m. 
Here the enemy were found awaiting our advance. The 
Battery was ordered to shell the right of the rebel line of 
Gen. Williams's army ; and they were driven out of some 
woods situated on a very high hill which might, perhaps, 
be called a mountain. I'he Twenty-third Corps had been 
in action against the enemv all the mornin"- without beine 



I 50 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

able to make any headway, and Gen. Burnside determined 
to put the Ninth Corps in at i o'clock, if, at that hour, the 
Twenty-third Cor])s should have been unsuccessful in rout- 
ing the enemy. The guns of the artillery of the Twenty- 
third Corps had been hauled up the hill that morning by 
means of a block and fall. Orders were given to the Ninth 
Corps to advance and keep up the fighting. The Battery 
was assigned to a position on the extreme left, but to reach 
it was a difficult matter. Ten horses were needed to drag 
each piece to its position while the men by means of the 
prolong kept it from turning over. When the pieces were 
once up on the hill, it was comparatively easy to put them 
in position. The enemy would now be wholly at the mercy 
of our guns as soon as the Ninth Corps should drive them 
out of the woods. As soon as the guns were in position 
and properly sighted for distance, a few shells started the 
enemy running down the mountain side. Nine companies 
of infantry or dismounted cavalry, I don't remember which, 
armed with seven-shooters followed them. The enemy 
then tried to turn our left flank, but after receiving five 
rounds from the seven-shooters and several rounds of shrap- 
nel from the Battery's right section, they changed their 
minds and retreated across an open field to a piece of woods 
beyond. 

An order now came for the right section of the Battery to 
follow the infantry imniediately. To return by the way it 
had come up the mountain and then march around to come 
op with the infantry, would have taken two hours, and as 
time is precious at such times, I determined to let the guns 
of the section slide down the mcnuitain in front, as I saw it 
was sandy and devoid of trees. I had the lead and swing 
teams unhitched and taken down, all the hind wheels 
locked, and two men stationed at each wheel to add their 
weight to that of the carriage to force it through the sand. 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELLS STATION. 15I 

Furthermore, four men with prolong-s were assigned to each 
piece to hold back the carriage and thus relieve the pole- 
team from the forward pressure of it. The two gun-carriages 
now went down the mountain side with the pole-horses 
actually sliding down on their haunches. When they 
reached the level, the other teams were hitched on, and 
everything being ready, the section made a left turn, went 
down an embankment eisrht feet hig^h, crossed a brook and 
halted. 

Seeing some generals and staff-officers in a group on a 
road above and beyond where the section had halted, I 
rode up to them. Just as I came up, Gen. Parke asked me, 
" Roemer, how soon will your battery be here.''"" "Gen- 
eral, it is right behind you,'" I answered. "Why, how did 
you get here so soon.''" asked he again. "General," I re- 
plied, " look up and see the furrows we made coming down 
the mountain side." "Well," said he, "I am glad you are 
here and I consider it a great feat thus to come down the 
mountain, but you must not leave your guns exposed like 
this. Put them behind this hill for shelter. " 

Orders were now given for the whole line again to ad- 
vance. We drove the enemy through the woods in front 
and across another clearing into another piece of woods 
beyond, while we kept possession of the woods where the 
enemy had been. The Battery was not called into action 
until about dark. It was assigned to a position on the south 
edge of the woods. In front of it was a clearing with a 
piece of woods beyond which was held by the enemy. The 
Battery fired a few shots before dark. The men threw up 
breast-works during the night, and, as they had but very few 
intrenching tools, it was very difficult work. The spades 
and i)ick-axes belonging to the Battery had been turned 
over to the infantry the night before to enable them to con- 
struct breast-works as a shelter from the enemy's fire. But 



152 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

as we of the Battery, did not wish to be exposed to this fire, 
we all, officers and men, worked with axes and a few shov- 
els as well as we could, digging- and heaping up the earth. 
By morning quite a serviceable fortification had been raised. 

At two in the morning, while we were still at work on 
our intrenchments, Gen. Ferrero came along the line and 
found me at work loosening the earth with an axe. As soon 
as he saw me, he said, " Roemer, I don't want you to do 
such work." "General," I replied, "my men are all w(>rn 
out and I want to show them I can help them build some 
shelter to be ready for whatever may happen. I do not 
think, ho^vever, that we shall have need of these works, 
judging from what I have seen and heard." The general 
looked at me and asked, "Well, old boy, what is it you do 
think.?" "It is this," I replied, "about an hour ago I had 
occasion to go a little distance outside our lines, and while 
there I heard some unusual sounds. By listening carefully 
I could hear quite distinctly the tramping of horses and the 
movements of heavy artillery as the guns rattled along. I 
put my ear close to the ground and heard commands given, 
and then a long drawn out sovmd. By keeping A'ery quiet, 
I heard the orders, ' Hello there, get out of the way. ' Put- 
ting all these things together, I think you will find out, when 
morning comes, that the enemy have gone away." The 
general, however, was not to be convinced and soon rode 
off. So far all was perfectly quiet along the lines. 

I was up again before daylight watching the enemy's 
lines through my glass till breakfast was announced. After 
that was dispatched, I resumed the task of watching their 
lines and kept at it till near 9 o'clock. At that hour, I saw 
some of the generals and their staff officers on my left, ap- 
parently in consultation about something. I walked over 
to them and saluted. Then I learned from their conversa- 
tion that they desired to send out several regiments to 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELLS STATION. I 53 

charg-e the rebel lines. I stepped up to Gen. Burnside and 
said, "General, there is not a single rebel musket in those 
woods in our front, in fact, nothing- but that line of vedettes 
we can see in front of the woods. In front of my line there 
is nothing but some Quaker guns, and of this I am absolutely 
sure." " How do you know that .? " he inquired. Replying- 
I said, "I told Gen. Ferrero last night at 2 o'clock that 
the rebels were moving-, but he would not believe me 
although I told how I had obtained my information."' Gen. 
Burnside turned to Gen. Ferrero and asked him, "Why did 
you not report this to me. General ? " Gen. Ferrero replied, 
"I did not think it possible." "Now, General," said I. "I 
think that if you will charge on those vedettes they will 
turn their horses and show you their tails, and that that 
will be the last you will see of them." At once several 
regiments were ordered to charge the rebel lines, and, as I 
had predicted, the rebel vedettes instantly wheeled to the 
rear, and, with their horses' tails flying in the air, scampered 
off leaving our troops behind. 

Gen. Burnside being now convinced that our front was 
clear, ordered the whole force now at Blue Springs to follow 
Williams's force. Preparations tor this had already been 
made by Gen. Burnside. Gen. Foster had been sent out to 
make a circuit of ten miles and get in front of Willams at 
Rheatown," and, by putting all possible barriers in his way, 
felling trees, etc., to delay the march of that general's 
troops. Now, Burnside's whole force started from Blue 
Springs for Bull's Gap, which it passed and went on to 
Greenville, where it halted, twenty-two miles from Blue 
Springs. 

Gen. Parke now came to me and said, " Your Battery has 
been selected to follow Gen. Foster, for the infantry cannot 
march any farther and Gen. Foster has no artillery. Try 
and get there as soon as possible, for one shot to-day is bet- 



154 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

ter than two to-morrow." I then asked Gen. Parke, " Is the 
road mine.''" "What do you mean by that.''" he asked in 
turn. "I mean this," I replied, "is everything- in my 
front to give way for me to pass.? "' "Certainly, Roemer, " 
he answered. The Battery moved off as rapidly as possible. 
I inquired of every person, black or white, I met on the 
road, how far ahead of me the rebels were. Some would 
express their opniion in true southern style by saying "a 
right smart bit. ' After much close questioning I concluded 
they must be about five miles ahead of the Battery. We 
kept on, and after marching two hours, I found we had gone 
about eleven miles and were approaching Rheato\\'n. After 
passing this place, I saw what havoc Gen. P^oster had wrought 
among Williams's troops. The school house was tilled with 
the wounded and dying, and even the tields we crossed were 
strewn with the dead and wounded. I saw some hanging 
over the fences, having been shot, apparently, while climb- 
ing over them. Arriving at a point about a mile beyond 
Rheatown, I saw how effectually Gen. Foster had blocked 
the road with felled trees, which were lying criss-cross, one 
over the other, in such a way as to make it impossible for a 
wagon or a gun-carriage to pass. For a long distance the 
road was strewn with broken wagons, wheels, cracker boxes, 
and damaged harness, which showed how thoroughly Gen. 
Foster had carried out his orders, and in what a hurry the 
rebel troops had been to get away. 

The Battery went four miles farther, and then an order 
from Gen. Parke was brought by an orderly, to rest for the 
night. There was a fine field of clover near by, and this 
was selected for our bivouac. Just as the Battery turned 
into this field three battery horses fell dead in consequence 
of the fatigue experienced during this forced march, In the 
time between 9 a. m., October iith and 6 i'. m., October 
12th, thirty-three hours, the Battery had marched forty-five 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELLS STATION. I 55 

miles. All were glad we had a chance to rest after this long 
and dusty march. The next day, in the afternoon, the Bat- 
tery started on its return to Knoxville, where it arrived on 
the 1 6th, and remained in camp until the 20th. That day 
it was ordered to go to Campbell's Station and thence to 
Lenoir Station, and then again to Loudon, where it re- 
mained from the 23d to the 28th. During these last six 
days the Battery's farriers were required to make thirty 
pounds of nails of various sizes for use in Iniilding a pontoon 
bridge over the Holston River. These nails were made of 
iron bars taken from a brick building near by. 

All the men skilled in various trades were called upon to 
assist in this work of bridge building, as there were nails to 
be made, timber to be hewn and many kinds of iron work 
to be forged. The farriers and blacksmiths belonging to the 
various batteries were kept busy by the demands made upon 
them for their services. When my men had finished the 
quantity of nails required of them and carried them to head- 
quarters, the men were complimented by the general for 
their promptness and were informed that they were the first 
to finish the task assigned them. The bridge was soon 
completed, for as many as two thousand men were, at times, 
employed upon it at the same time. It was never used to 
any extent, however, because, for some reason I never knew, 
it was destroyed almost as soon as it was finished.* 

The troops returned to Lenoir Station October 29th, where 
orders came to erect log houses and go into winter quarters. 
Although there were very few carpenters among the men, 
yet each command sought to have some features about the 
houses they built that would l)e different from those built by 

* ('i)l. 0. M. Poe, on p. 732, Vol. 3, '• Battles and Leaders of the Civil 
War," states that "the pontoon bridge was transferred from Loudon to 
Knoxville, where Gen. Sanders's cavalry command crossed it to the 
south side of the river on the 1st of November." — Editor. 



156 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the others, but as the various tools usually employed in house 
building were wanting-, many difficulties were encountered 
in accomplishing their object. All the old buildings foiuid 
for miles around were confiscated to obtain material for 
building- chimneys ; and all the old iron found was quickly 
converted into nails and other necessary articles. The forges 
of the various batteries were kept busy night and day with 
this work of providing- th« iron work needed in constructing 
these houses. 

Within a week after our arrival all were thoroughly at 
home in their new houses and ready to receive and enter- 
tain their friends. This camp at Lenoir Station had more 
the appearance of a permanent village than of a temporary 
camp. Battery L's houses were as line as any, and my house 
was especially comfortable. I would have been very glad 
to entertain some of my Flushing friends in that house. It 
was ten feet long, eight feet wide and four and three-fourths 
feet high at the sides ; the roof was a wall-tent tiy, support- 
ed as such flies usually are. Thus 1 had ample room for all 
purposes. Just outside the house, on the right of the front 
entrance, was a hole three feet deep, called the hre-hole ; 
from the upper part of this a horizontal flue constructetl of 
brick, extended through the house from front to rear, six 
inches l)elow the ground, and terminated in a brick chimney 
ten or twelve feet high. The ground within the house was 
thoroughly warmed by this flue, and, of course, the whole 
interior was very comfortable. 1 had used the same plan 
at Falmouth in December, 1862, and found it su]ierior to any 
other method of heating log houses. On the 11th of No- 
vember, as a number of fresh horses had been received, or- 
ders were issued calling for mounted drills and target prac- 
tice to accustom them to the \arii)us battery maneuvers. 

I am sorry to say that we did not have the ])leasure of 
occu])ying the comfortable (piarters in which we had exjiectetl 



TEXXESSEE CAMPAIGX. CAMPBELLS STATIOX. 1 57 

to live through the winter, longer than two days and one 
and one-half nights, for at 1:30 a. m., November 12th, just 
when I had fallen into a good sleep, an order came to move 
immediately. At that moment it was raining, as they say, 
cats and dogs, and it appeared to be impossible to move. 
It was the worst storm the Ninth Corps ever encountered 
in all its marches. However, I was soon up, and then gave 
orders to harness, hitch up, and stand to horse. My orders 
also read, " Capt. Roemer will report at Headquarters in 
person for further orders.'' It was pitch dark when I went 
to Headquarters. I there learned that the army was to 
march to Loudon, but, in consequence of the severity of the 
storm, it would await its cessation before marching, and 
that, at that time, the order to move would be given. It 
was 10 o'clock before the storm finally ceased. At 11, Gen. 
Ferrero rode up and gave the order, "Captain, move your 
Battery out on the road yonder, ''and then gave mc the 
required direction. "General," I replied, "that is impos- 
sible." -'Why.^" he inquired. "Simply because I shall 
require ten horses for each carriage and can, therefore, move 
out with no more than four gun-carriages and caissons," I 
replied. " No more ? " he inquired. " No more," I replied 
again, "I know what my horses can do, and what they 
can't do. In their present condition I doubt if ten horses 
will be surticient for a single gun.' "Well, Captain," said 
he "I will report the matter to Gen. Burnside. " He imme- 
diately despatched an orderly to Gen. Burnside with a mes- 
sage explaining the condition of affairs. The orderly soon 
returned with an order from Gen. Burnside to move with 
four carriages if more could not be taken along. I then 
went with four pieces to Loudon where the following order 
of Gen. Grant to Gen. Burnside was received : "Gen. Burn- 
side, do not allow Gen. Longstreet to cross the Holston 
River, even if it costs you all the cavalry present with your 



158 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

command." Orders were also received to burn the bridge 
over the Holston built by the enemy, and over which, as 
we were informed, Long-street intended to cross. 

The Battery arrived at a point outside the town. Here 
the infantry and batteries of artillery were placed in position 
in the woods, there to remain until midnight, at which hour 
the bridge was to be burned. Just as this was about to be 
done a heavy rain storm set in, and so nothing could be 
done. The troops lay all night under arms, and all became 
wet to the skin, as there was no shelter for them. 

November 15th all the h^oops returned to Lenoir Station 
in a terrible condition. Battery L had the rear of t\K col- 
umn and was supported by the Thirty-Sixth Massachusetts 
Volunteers, which had been ordered not only to support the 
Battery in antion, but also to assist in pulling the gun car- 
riages and caissons up a very steep hill outside of Loudon. 
For this purpose thirty men of the Thirty-Sixth were as- 
signed to each carriage, three to each horse. They were to 
march beside the horses, and, in case the latter could not go 
forward up the steep grade, were to take hold of the traces 
and add their strength to that of the horses. The ascent of 
the hill was finally accomplished and the Battery went on 
and arrived at Lenoir Station in the evening. We were all 
a very sorry-looking lot, covered, as we were, with mud 
from head to heels. It was now perfectly evident that the 
situation was materially changed. All the troops were so 
placed that they could protect themselves from an attack by 
Longstreet's army, which was close at their heels. 

Battery L was put into position on a high bank facing a 
pass and a high rocky cliff, from which the enemy could 
easily attack the Battery's position with artillery. The po- 
sition also was so encumbered with stumps from three to 
four feet high that it was impossible to use the horses in 
putting the pieces into position. Every piece had to be put 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELLS STATION. I 59 

into position by hand. Night was fast approaching and the 
men had to work hard and rapidly to make all the prepara- 
tions needed to be made for our defense. At 9 p. m. Gen. 
Willcox visited the Battery's position and was well pleased 
with the arrangements made to defend it. He then said, 
"Captain, everything, so far as I can see, is in order, and, 
as you have not had any sleep for two nights, you shcnild 
put Lieut. Heasley in command and take a few hours" sleep," 
Gen. Willcox went away and I proceeded to give a few or- 
ders preliminary to my retiring for the needed sleep, but be- 
fore I had completed giving them there came the whiz and 
bang of a thousand bullets, which, luckily, flew over us. 
It can readily be inferred that I did not go to sleep. The 
Battery -replied to this fusillade with a few rounds of canis- 
ter, which silenced the enemy for the night, during which, 
however, the whole army was kept under arms. Immedi- 
ately after the tiring, orders were issued for all baggage and 
ammunition wagons to proceed at once to Campbell's Sta- 
tion, to 1)6 out of the way of the troops marching in that 
direction. 

At 4 A. M. on the i6th orders came to be ready to march, 
and at 6 o'clock the march began. The first section of the 
Battery, under my personal command, marched with the 
advanced guard of the column, which consisted of three reg- 
iments of infantry ; the second section under Lieut. Heasley 
followed with the rear brigade. 

The column had not been in motion more than half an 
hour when word came to me that three of my caissons were 
stuck in the mud (this was a siickcr for me), and could not 
be extricated without fresh horses. I immediately sought 
Col. Morrison and asked permission to let the first section 
go on under its sergeant, while I returned to see if the cais- 
sons could not be pulled out of the mud before the main 
column came up. I obtained the desired permission and at 



l6o REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

once rode back and soon reached the scene of distress. 
First Sergeant Johnston was in command and was engaged 
in throwing the ammunition cnit of the cliests. I asked him, 
"Who commanded you to do this?" "Gen. Eurnside," he 
answered. "I command this battery, Gen. Burnside does 
not, " said I. "Pick up every shot you have tlirown out 
and put it back in its proper place. Ho^v long is it since 
you received Gen. Burnside's order .? " "About fifteen min- 
utes ago,"' he replied. Accompanied by my orderly 1 rode 
off at full speed after Gen. Burnside and soon came up with 
him. I saluted him and said, " Good morning, General; I 
have countermanded your order." "What order.''" he 
asked. " Your order to my sergeant," I replied, " to throw 
the ammunition t)ut of the caisson chests." Continuing, I 
said, " General, we cannot afford to lose this ammunition, 
for the Chief of Artillery told me a few minutes ago the army 
was very short of artillery ammunition. ' "Well, Captain," 
he asked in reply, "what will you do, for your horses are 
all used up.''" "Do you see," I asked in turn, " that col- 
umn of harnessed mules coming up from Lenoir Station .f* 
Can I not have some of them ? " The General's face bright- 
ened up just as one sees the glorious sun rise after a stormy 
night, and, turning to me, he said, "Captain Roemer, you 
shall have unlimited power — unlimited power — to take as 
many as you wish. " Bidding him good-by, I galloped off 
with my orderly to the mule train. 

This train was composed of some four hundred mules 
that had been with a wagon train which had been burned 
at Lenoir Station. As soon as I reached it, I asked, "Who 
commands this train .^ " "A lieutenant in the (piartermas- 
ter's department," was the answer. I soon found the lieu- 
tenant and said, "By Gen. Burnside's order I have come to 
you for si.xteen four mule teams, and I will select them. 
^'ou will please see to it that the drix'ers obey my orders. 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBEI.l's STATION. l6l 

Orderly, line them up as I pick them out." The drivers 
M'ere colored men, not soldiers, and were somewhat .friy^ht- 
ened, not knowing what they w(mkl have to do, and. there- 
fore, were a little shaky in their lioots (although I don't re- 
member that they had boots on). However, time was pre- 
cious, and orders had to lie obeyed ; they were obeyed, for 
I sat on my horse with drawn sabre to enforce them. 

As soon as the mule teams had lieen formed in column, 1 
gave the order, " Column, forward, march." and off we went 
to relieve the caissons. The tirst four teams I turned over 
to Benjamin's Battery, as it was sorely in need of them. 
(Lieut. Benjamin, U. .'^. Artillery, was Chief of Artillery of 
the Ninth Corps in this campaign.) The remaining twelve 
teams were used in pulling my own caissons out of the mud. 
This was soon accomplished and the caissons went on. 

The First Brigade, together with Battery L's first section 
(each gun-carriage and caisson being drawn by si.x horses 
and four mules) arrived on the field of battle at Campbell's 
Station, nine miles northeast of Lenoir Station and seventeen 
miles southwest from Knoxville, at lo a. m. The artillery 
section under my personal command, was assigned to a po- 
sition on the extreme left between two mountains. There 
were two roads entering this valley, the Loudon and Lenoir 
road and the Kingston road more to our right ; our troops 
came up by the former and the enemy's by the latter. The 
orders given to the First Brigade and to myself were, to use 
all speed possible and reach the valley before the enemy, as 
they were trying to get between our army and Knoxville 
and thus cut us off from that place. However, our troops 
arrived first and most of them were placed in battle array a 
full half hour before the enemy showed themselves, or, as 
the men put it, before the head of the column of graybacks 
came in sight. As we came into position we faced about so 
as to confront the enemy who were not far away in our rear. 



1 62 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Lieut. Ileasley, witli the other section of the Battery, ac- 
companied the last brig-acle commanded by Col. Humphrey, 
and this brigade had not yet come up. I learned later that 
this brigade had had to fight their way the whole distance 
from Lenoir Station to the battlefield. At times the artillery- 
men could not use the horses, and then the pieces were 
dragged along by the infantry, who also shielded the artil- 
lerymen and horses from the enemy's fire. P^very little 
while, the infantry would open and then the cannon would 
fire double charges of canister at the enemy. The infantry 
would then close up around the guns and resume the on- 
ward march. lliis maneuver was repeated many times 
during the march. 

We had the advantage in position, but not in number of 
troops, for Longstreet's army outnumbered ours by about 
two to one. From my position I could see the enemy as 
they emerged from the Kingston road. The first graybacks 
came in sight just before 1 1 a. m. Then the battle line of 
the First Division moved forward to cover our left. Now I 
saw my chance. The battle had not yet opened, but I did 
not want to let such a chance as I now saw, escape me. 
Full of excitement, I galloped over to the Chief of Artillery, 
and before I quite reached him, shcnited out, "Chief, I see 
my chance. May I open fire.'' " " Yes," he answered. No 
grass grew under my horse's hoofs while returning to my 
section. I sighted my two pieces directly on the enemy's 
advancing line, upon which I had a direct flank fire. The 
first two shots made (]uite a gap in the line. Turning to the 
gunners I said, ''Boys, that was well done."' Two shots 
were again fired, then two more and so on, till twelve shots 
had been fired, and then the whole rebel division broke and 
ran. Each shrapnel fired contained forty-two bullets, and 
the fuse was cut in such a way that the shrapnel exploded 
at just the right point. Therefore the eyes of the gunners 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. CAMPBELl's STATION. 1 65 

must have been very g-ood to judge the distance so accur- 
ately. It was this very exactness in cutting the fuses tliat 
made our shots so effective. I directed the gunners to aim 
their pieces at the feet of the advancing troops as' they came 
down the mountain's side, and at their waists, when they 
turned and retreated. When the enemy started to run the 
whole of our line saw it, and also knew by that what exe- 
cution had been done, and now they all shouted, "Hurrah 
for Roemer's Battery." 

Gen. Ferrero now rode up and said, "That was well done. 
You gave them a good welcome, but, Roemer, I am afraid 
your second section, in charge of Lieut. Heasley, with the 
last brigade is gone up " (meaning captured). "What are 
the supports.? " I asked. "Col. Humphrey's whole brigade, 
comprising the Fifty-First New York and the three Michigan 
regiments," he replied. "Then, General," said I, "if the 
second section is gone, you won't see any of the men who 
supported it come up." "Why," he asked. "Because," 
said I, "I know that no men of that brigade will see my sec- 
tion captured or any of my men taken prisoners." "What 
confidence you do have !'' said he. " General," I replied, 
"you will see that my statement is true. " After fifteen long 
minutes the brigade arrived and Lieut. Heasley joined me, 
his section going into position on the left of the lirst. As 
they came up, a cheer burst out all along the lines from right 
to left and back to the right again, for it had been supposed 
by almost everyone that they had been captured. 

Now the battle opened in earnest. Shot and shell flew 
like hailstones in a heavy storm. The tighting was con- 
stant and tierce until night brought it to an end. Our cas- 
ualties were not half the number of those sustained by the 
enemy, although they greatly outnumbered us. We pun- 
ished them more than they did us. We had to hold on as 
long as we possibly could on this battle field, so that our 



164 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

baggage and ammunition trains might reach Knoxville in 
safety. 

During the afternoon the enemy tried three times to turn 
our left flank by marching around the mountain, but our 
eyes were too sharp, although I must admit they came 
pretty near accomplishing their purpose. Each time the 
guns of Battery L were quickly turned from front to left and 
welcomed them with a shower of grape and canister. The 
ever true Fifty-First Pennsylvania infantry, our support, 
worked nobly, and the rebels thought so too, for they went 
up the mountain much more quickly than they came down ; 
they were entirely routed. This incident occurred between 
3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The Battery's casualties 
in this engagement at Campbell's Station were two men 
slightly wounded, one colored mule driver killed, three 
horses and two mules killed, and six horses wounded. Sev- 
eral wheels were splintered and the axle of a gun-carriage 
was broken. The Batterv firctl 441 shots in all. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE. 

As soon as it was dark the trooi)s beyan lca\'ing the battle 
field of CampbelTs Station, but it was 9 o'clock before the 
last of our army departed ; the killed and wounded had to 
be left behind. Kno.xville was reached at 5 o'clock in the 
morning of November 17th, with men and horses entirely 
worn out. The troops were halted in the valley between 
Fort Sanders and College Hill. When the command " Halt," 
was given every man dro])ped just where he stood, and it 
did not take them long to fall asleep, for they had been in 
constant motion for four days and four nights. Every regi- 
ment and battery received, on its arrival, written informa- 
tion of the position to which it had been assigned by Col. O. 
M. Poe, who had reached the city previously with instruc- 
tions to make these arrangements. 

Gens. Sanders and Foster had been holding Knoxville 
pending the arrival of our army, but as soon as the army 
came up they left the city to go out and guard those ap- 
proaches by which the enemy would probably come. Gen. 
Foster went to the south side of Holston River to the point 
where a pontoon bridge had been placed, while Gen. San- 
ders went just outside of the city north of the river on the 
Loudon road to guard our rear and delay the advance of the 
enemy. He did this successfully the whole of the 17th and 
till half past two in the afternoon of the i8th. At that hour 



1 66 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

he fell mortally wounded. His command then fell back 
to Knoxville. Fort Sanders was named in his honor. 
After al)out three hours sleep the various org-anizations 
proceeded to occupy the positions to which they hatl been 
assigned. 

From the 17th of November to the 28th, the officers and 
men of Battery L were busily engaged in building a fort on 
College Hill, which was afterward named Fort Byington, in 
honor of Major Byington of the Second IMichigan Volun- 
teers, who was mortally wounded during the siege. The 
fort was completed at 3 p. m., Saturday, November 28th, and 
was strong enough to withstand any assault made upon it. 
The parapet was seven feet high and twelve feet thick at 
the base. The work was lined with green bullock hides to 
prevent splinters from flying, as the revetment was made of 
boards and shutters taken from the College, and of similar 
materials obtained in the neighborhood. Logs could not 
be obtained because the enemy had possession of all the 
woods around Knoxville. 

That the reader may more thoroughly realize what our 
troops endured in this campaign, it is only necessary to say 
that, in pursuance of an order from Gen. Burnside issued 
October 18th, 1863, to the effect that "not more than one- 
half, nor less than one-quarter rations per day shall be 
issued to the officers and men until further orders from 
these Headquarters," all had been living, marching, fight- 
ing, and working on a very scanty allowance of food since 
that date. This order was not revoked till long after the 
siege of Knoxville was over. Men and horses suffered 
greatly from hunger, to say nothing of cold and sickness. 
Every man in (ien. Burnside's command, from the general 
commanding to the private soldier, was thoroughly aware 
of what was in store for liim, if we did not succeed in 
defeating Longstreet's army, and that was, to be taken ])ris- 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE. 1 67 

oner, if he were not killed in the inevitable battle impend- 
ing over us. All preferred death to capture. 

To replenish the magazine, five hundred shell besides a 
considerable amount of other ammunition were received 
during the afternoon of the 28th. The men of the Battery 
now began to prepare for the coming assault by laying out 
the friction primers, making spikes, and putting all other 
necessary implements in their proper places. Never before 
had it been deemed necessary to prepare for spiking our 
guns. The spikes were made from small rat-tail files ; they 
were barbed and as hard as fire and water could make 
them, yet extremely brittle. When the artificer brought 
one to me for inspection, I took it between the first and 
second fingers of my right hand and snapped it in two as 
easily as if it were a pipe-stem. " Artificer," said I, " that's 
the stuff the Johnnies willl have to tackle in boring out the 
vents of our spiked cannon, if they get any that are spiked." 

I now inspected the ammunition and found it to be in 
good order so far as I could see. Then I inspected the fort 
on College Hill and the rifle-pits in front of the fort. The 
fort on the Hill just completed was provided with seven as 
good and well-protected embrasures as could be built under 
the circumstances. Below the fort were two rifle-pits run- 
ning from the north or right bank of Holston river around 
to the west, then south towards Fort Sanders — most for- 
midable works. These were to be held by our most trust- 
worthy troops. 

The elevation of College Hill is about the same as that of 
Fort Sanders, each being about forty or fifty feet above the 
level of the surrounding country. College Hill has a very 
steep incline southerly extending back to the river some 
400 yards, and it is fully one hundred feet from the bottom 
of the hill to the water's edge. Fort Sanders stands on a 
knoll, with a descent on all sides, the steepest inclines 



100 REMIMSCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

being on the west and north. Battery Zoelhier was a small 
fort to the right and rear of Fort Sanders. Fort Byington 
on College Hill was somewhat to the left and rear of F"ort 
Sanders and distant from it about 550 yards in an air line. 
Between Forts Sanders and Byington was a short but deep 
A'alley that would have been a spot very dangerous for the 
enemy, had they succeeded in entering it in an attempt to 
charge either fort. In such a case, the loss of life would 
have been appalling, for those in the valley would have 
been exposed to an entilading fire from both forts of grape 
and canister, as well as shrapnel. The last missile is a ter- 
ror to troops in a charge, for a single one can and may 
destroy forty men when it explodes. 

Nov. 27th two of m}' pieces, those under the charge of 
Sergeants A. Townsend and Val. Rossbach, and com- 
manded by Lieut. Heasley, were ordered to Fort Sanders. 
Sergeant Townsend's piece was put in position at the north- 
west embrasure, and Sergeant Rossbach s at the northeast 
one. Between these two, and occupying the northern 
embrasures, were two of Lieut. Benjamin's 20-pound Bar- 
retts. The artillery in position in Fort Sanders consisted of 
Lieut. Benjamin's 4 20-pound Parrotts (Battery E, 2d U. S. 
Art.), Capt. Buckley's 4 12-pound Parrott rifles (Battery D, 
ist R. L Art.) and Capt. Roemer's 2 3-inch lo-pound rifles 
(34th N. Y. , Lid. Battery). The infantry in the fort com- 
prised the 79th N. Y. (Highlanders), the 2d, 8th and 17th 
Mich. Vols., and some detachments from other infantry 
regiments. 

At 9 p. M. on the 28th, a feignetl attack was made on 
Fort Byington with musketry and artillery. Several hun- 
dred bullets and dozens of cannon-shots were exchanged 
and then suddenly, everything became still. I now called 
together all the members of the Battery remaining in Fort 
Byington and thus addressed them: — "Officers and men. 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE. 1 69 

that which has just occurred was merely a feint ; the real 
attack will be made before daylig-ht in the morning. 
Guards will now be changed every half hour instead of 
every two hours. Fuses must be dried, and a stick having' 
notches cut in it, showing the number of seconds the fuse 
will burn, two to seven, as the case may be, attached to 
each, so that No. 7 (the man having charge of the fuses) 
can find them in the dark, as I may call those numbers." 

It was now 9:15 p. m. , and just as I finished speaking to 
the men, an aide on Gen. Ferrero's staft' rode up and said, 
"Captain, I wish to see you privately." We two went 
aside out of hearing of the men, and then the aide said, " I 
have a verbal message for your ear only. The general 
desires that if things go against us in the coming attack, 
you shall destroy the horses and so disable your guns that 
they cannot be used against us." This was a thunderbolt 
to me. After a moment's hesitation 1 said '• I cannot obey 
such an order as that. Tell Gen. Ferrero that, when it 
comes to such a pass as that, I want to use my own dis- 
cretion. ' "Captain," returned the aide, "you know you 
will be held responsible for what you say." "Yes," I 
replied, " I know full well what I am saying. I fully under- 
stand what Gen. Ferrero wants me to do, but pray tell him 
that I cannot obey this order, and also say to him that I 
fully understand the matter and will give the enemy a shot 
for every spoke he wants me to cut and a shot for every 
horse he wants me to kill, but will not cut a spoke or shoot 
a horse, and, when I can shoot no longer, then I will spike 
my guns and let them go. That is my answer to the gen- 
eral. I have the spikes in my pocket. See,'" said 1, taking 
them from my pocket, " here they are.'" 

The night was cold and dreary. Every man was forbid- 
den not only to undress, but also to take off his accoutre- 
ments, so that he would be ready to take his post at his 



170 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

gun or elsewhere at any moment. The guns were loaded 
and shotted, ready to be fired at the very first notice of the 
attack. The men passed a long and wakeful night, for 
their bellies were empty and their bodies only half-clad, yet 
not a murmur escaped them. All on duty were watching 
and peering out into the darkness to catch the first inkling 
of the dreadful things they felt sure were in store for them. 
]\Iidnight came, but there was no change. Two oclock 
A. M. November 29th came, and still no change was noted. 
Five o'clock, and still all was silent. Soon after five the 
gleam of fuses and signal rockets became suddenly visible 
through the western embrasures. Instantly Fort Byington 
and Fort Sanders were alive, but remained silent though 
watchful. In a few minutes thereafter, all the guns of the 
rebel artillery along the Union front opened fire with the 
evident intention of smashing all the guns of the Union 
artillery. 

Immediately the 34th N. Y. in Byington opened fire upon 
the eight-gun rebel battery in its front, near the Armstrong 
house. But four shots had been fired when I discovered 
that none of the shells exploded. "Cease firing, " I ordered. 
" Hand me one of those shells." I pulled out the fuse plug 
and found that the powder would not run. "These shells 
are corroded," I said ; " every one must be bored out before 
it can be fired. I want two brave men to bore them out. 
I want volunteers and at once." But no volunteers stepped 
forward. At last, I offered myself as the first brave man, 
whereupon Sergeant Volkmar offered himself as the second, 
saying, "Captain, if you are willing to risk your life, I am 
ready to risk mine with you." The boring of the shells was 
at once begun just behind the parapet between the two 
guns. Soon we began firing again. The gunners aimed 
tlieir ])ieces exactly at the fiash of some one of the rebel 
pieces, since it was quite dark. They made many excellent 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE. I71 

shots, for the shells exploded right in the rebel ranks and 
created great havoc among them. 

At last the enemy managed to send a shell right over 
Fort Byington. It passed over the parapet just over the 
heads of Sergeant Volkmar and myself and struck an ammu- 
nition chest, bursting as it did so, and sending eight lo-pound 
shot spinning around the fort like marbles. They would 
not, however, have been as harmless as marbles if they 
had struck any on the ankle as they whirled around. Ser- 
geant Kaufman became greatly excited, jumped up and cried 
out, " For God's sake, stop your work; you will have us 
all blown up if you bore those shells here in the fort." I 
instantly thought that, if I had anything to say, now was 
the time to say it. I rose from my kneeling posture and 
called out, "Sergeant, mind your own business and I will 
mind mine." Then stepping out into the center of the fort, 
I said, "Boys, I want to know if you will stand by me in 
this fort or not. I mean to die here rather than surrender. 
What have you all to say ? " With one voice all cried out, 
"Captain, we will die by your side." "That is all I want 
to know," said I. " Now, not another word from any one 
of you. Obey my ortlers implicitly, and everything will be 
in our favor. " 

At 5:30, while still quite dark, a horseman came gallop- 
ing into Fort Byington. It was an orderly from Fort San- 
ders with an order from Lieutenant Benjamin, Chief of 
Artillery. He halted and gave me the order. It read thus, 
" Capt. Roemer, send to Fort Sanders fifty rounds lo- 
pound shrapnel, fifty 20-second fuses, and all available 
canister, without delay, by your own teams, under escort." 
The order was at once obeyed and the ammunition sent. 

By 6 o'clock, everything was at at a boiling heat. In 
Fort Sanders it was even hotter, with a tendency upward, 
on account of the canister and the wire entanglement in its 



172 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

front. Looking throug-h my glass, I could see the teams 
sent with the ammunition in accordance with the order 
mentioned above. How they plunged and tore along I On 
they went at a dead gallop, almost flying ! Sergeants 
Townsend and Rossbach could be plainly seen working 
their guns to their utmost capacity, sending 156 bullets at 
every discharge of their guns into the ranks of the enemy. 

Although Longstreet thought on the day before, it would 
be an easy thing to take Fort Sanders, he did not think so 
on the 29th, when he saw his brave men march up in solid 
columns to face the embrasures of Fort Sanders only to be 
struck down and broken by the grape and canister hurled at 
them by the well-served guns of the fort. 

By this time it was broad daylight, as the sun rose at 
half-past six. The ditch surrounding Fort Sanders, and 
especially that part arcnmd the northwest bastion, was half 
full of dead and wounded. The living scrambled over them 
and over the parapet in their endeavors to take the fort, 
only to meet a broad-ax, a bullet, or a bayonet, which 
hurled them back, dead or wounded, into the ditch below. 
There stood brave Benjamin with his tifty rounds of shrap- 
nel, each fitted with a twenty-second fuse. Lighting the 
fuses with his cigar, he hurled them one after the other, 
over the parapet into the tlitch below, to intensify the 
terror already prevailing there and on the ground in front. 
Every one of the steady solid columns of the enemy that 
came marching up within reach of the grape and canister 
hurled at them by the guns of the fort, broke and fled 
despite all the efforts of their officers to re-form them. 

Everything on Longstrcet's sitle was hopelessly lost, for, 
as it was reported of the 5,000 brave men who, in light 
marching order liad charged on Fort Sanders after 5 o'clock, 
three-fourths had, by 7 o'clock, been killetl, wouiuled or 
taken prisoner. I'he garrison occujiying Fort Sanders dur- 



TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. SIEGE OF KXOXVILLE. I 73 

ing- the fight, did not exceed 450 men, infantry and artillery 
together, not counting those belonging to the Eighth Mich- 
igan, who were stationed in the trenches on the northeast 
side to support the gun of the Thirty-Fourth New York Bat- 
tery in position there, and who, from their peculiar position, 
could do but little in repulsing the attack on the northwest 
bastion. 

A flag of truce was now raised,* and tiring ceased all 
along the lines. The otficers now gathered together to con- 
gratulate one another on the success of their efforts to re- 
pulse the assault made on our works. Gen. Ferrero came 
to me and said, "Say, Roemer, you sent me a hell of an an- 
swer last night." "General," I replied, " I couldn't help 
it. '" "Captain," said P'errero, " when I received that mes- 
sage I knew old Roemer was all right." 

Just as Gen. Ferrero left me Gen. Burnside rode up from 
behind. After saluting, he asked, "Captain Roemer, why 
did your shells all explode with such precision this morn- 
ing, while those fired by the other batteries did not.^" "I 
can not say, General," I replied, "I do not know." "Yes, 
you do know," said Burnside, "What did you tell your ser- 
geant in the fort last night.'" " I hope, General," I replied, 
"you will not hold me responsible for what I said to my 
officers ami men at that time to encourage them for the im- 
pending contest of the night and the following morning."' 
"Yes, Captain," Burnside exclaimed, "I do hold you re- 
sponsible for every word you said to your otMcers and men 
last night, and I am proud to know what you said to your 
sergeant, — 'Every one of these shells must be bored before 
it is fired," — Who bored them.' "" "Sergeant Yolkmar and I 
did,"" answered I. "How many.'" he asked. "We bored 



*Xeither Col. Poe, U. 8. A., nor Gen. Alexander, C S. A., make men 
tion of this in their accounts of this assault on Fort Sanders. — [Editor.] 



I 74 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

sixty that were fired at the eight-gun rebel battery in our 
front," I replied. " How many did that battery fire at 
you?" he inquired. "Some three hundred and twenty," I 
replied. " How great are your losses .-^ " the general then 
asked. " I have had two men slightly wounded, two horses 
killed, and t^vo wounded," I replied. " Captain," he now 
asked, " do you know how much damage your shells cre- 
ated in the rebel battery in your front .•• " "I have no idea,"' 
said I. "Well, Captain," he continued, " their losses were 
twenty-four killed and upwards of sixty wounded. Now, 
Captain Roemer, tender to your ofticers and men my most 
sincere congratulations for the efficient manner in which 
they performed their duty last night and this morning, and 
also tell them I greatly admire their bravery. It is such 
men as you and some others that I must thank that we are 
free this morning." With an affectionate adieu and a smile 
on his face that I had not seen there in three long weeks, 
Gen. Burnside left me. I felt happy and grateful to him for 
his very kind and flattering words to the Battery. 



CHAPTER X. 



CLOSE OF THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. RE-ENLISTMENT. VETERAN 

FURLOUGH. 

From this time on until tlie seventh of December, the 
Battery remained in position in Fort Byington, engaged in 
doing everything necessary to put the Battery into perfect 
condition for active service. 

Orders came at 7 a. m. , December 7th, to m<n^e the Bat- 
tery by sections out on the Morristown road to support 
weak points in our lines. It went out seven miles, occa- 
sionally halting to lire a shot. The next day it reached 
Roseberry Creek, twelve miles distant, and on the day fol- 
lowing went to Blain's Cross Roads, seven miles farther, 
and on the loth advanced to Rutledge, thirteen miles farther 
still, halting from time to time to go into position and hre a 
few rounds. It remained near Rutledge until the 14th, 
when it fell back two miles, and at 1 1 p. m. fell back seven 
miles, arriving at the Mills at 3 a. m. on the 15th. Six hours 
later it returned to Blain's Cross Roads, going into position 
at 4 p. M. Here it put up some huts for shelter, as there 
were no tents in the command. Even the officers had only 
one tent fly, which was used as a roof for a hut, while the 
gable ends were closed with blankets. These huts were 
our abode for several weeks, or until January 15, 1864. 
Most of the battery etpiipments had been lost November 
1 6th, during the retreat from Lenoir's Station to Campbell's 
Station. 



176 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

The Battery was posted on a table land or low mountain, 
overlooking- our infantry, so that it could protect them with 
its tire. At this time there was a great dearth both of hard 
coal and of charcoal among all commands, and, therefore, 
it had become impossible to shoe a horse. As a result, the 
horses were, with a few exceptions, shoeless. How to have 
them shod became the question ot the hour. As there was 
plenty of wood about, it occurred to me that it might be pos- 
sible to make some charcoal, if any one could be found who 
knew how to make it. At retreat roll call I inquired if there 
was any one who knew anything about charcoal burning, 
and ordered those that did to step two paces to the front, 
whereupon three men stepped out. I told First Sergeant 
Johnston to bring them to my tent. He did so, and after 
talking- with them, I came to the conclusion that it would 
be safe to try to make some. 

The next morning bright and early we started out. I 
had already selected some trees, as I knew what kind of 
wood was necessary, although I knew nothing more. A 
sergeant was sent out with six ax-men and three teams to 
cut and haul the logs to a suitable place for our kiln, where 
they would be cut up and split, ready for burning. The 
kiln was then built and well covered with sod. By night 
everything was ready to start the tire. It was lighted and 
and the burning went on properly for four days and nights, 
but on the fifth day, towards morning, the guard not being 
very watchful, the fire broke through the sod covering, and 
in ten minutes eight cords of wood became a heap of ashes 
instead of a pile of charcoal. I looked at the ashes a 
moment and said, " Boys, I can burn charcoal now. Ser- 
geant, take your ax-men and teams at once, go out, cut, 
and bring in ten cords of wood. We will start a new 
kiln to-night." I had water brought so as to have it at 
hand in case of need. When the wood was piled up, I 



CLOSE OF THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. 1 77 

caused the sods to be packed over it very firmly to prevent 
another outbreak. Fire was started in the new kihi that 
same night and tive days after, we had a pile of as i^ood 
charcoal as was ever burned. This charcoal I considered 
to be the property of Battery L, and when the t^eneral's 
orderly was sent to get a bushel to shoe the general's 
horses, I told him that the charcoal belonged to Battery L. 
When the orderly returned and told the general what I had 
said, the general replied, "I know it, but if you ask C'ajit. 
Roemer for it in a pleasant way and tell him I appreciate 
his efforts fully, and also know he need not give it unless 
he is willing, but that my horses need shoeing, I think he 
will give you the charcoal.'' The orderly came back to me 
and this time obtained the charcoal. When it became 
known that the Battery had plenty of charcoal, there was a 
great demand for it on all sides ; some even tried to get an 
order for it from the general, but he told them, one an.d all. 
that the charcoal was the i:)roperty of Battery L, antl they 
could not have any unless the Battery people were willing 
to give it. About this time, orders came for the men to 
prepare to go home on their veteran furlough, and as that 
was of more importance to them than the charcoal, it was 
given out with a free hand, in fact, it could be had without 
asking for it. 

Between November 15th, 1863, and January 2d, 1864, 
sixty-nine of the seventy-one enlisted men belonging to the 
Batter}^ had re-enlisted ; the majority did so on the former 
date. The Battery and many other organizations that had 
re-enlisted had expected to go home on their veteran fur- 
loughs as soon as the re-enlistment was accomplished, but 
the needs of the service had compelled them to wait until 
other troops could come to take their places. By Special 
Order, No. 514, from the Adjutant-General's Office at \^'ash- 
ington, D. C. , issued November 19th, 1863, Battery L was 



lyS REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

detached from the 2d N. Y. Art., to form an independent 
Battery, to bear a number to be desig-nated by the Gov- 
ernor of New York, and the 2d N. Y. Art. was authorized to 
recruit a new company of Heavy Artillery to take the letter 
vacated by the Battery. January i6th, 1864, Special Order 
No. 15, from Headquarters, Ninth Army Corps, was re- 
ceived. This ordered me to turn over to Capt. Buckley, 
Battery D, ist R. I. Art., all the ordnance and ordnance 
stores in my possession, retaining only one baggage-wagon 
and six mules for the transportation of rations and the men's 
knapsacks to the point where the command would take the 
cars on their way home to Long Island, for a veteran fur- 
lough of thirty days in accordance with orders from the 
War Department, Washington, D. C. 

I was also directed to go to the Headquarters of the 
Ninth Corps at once. I went there immediately, and Gen. 
Burnside said to me, "Gen. Sturgis has made a formal 
application to me, to assign your Battery on its return from 
its veteran furlough to his corps in Tennessee. Now, Cap- 
tain, what do you say about it .^ " "Well, General," I 
replied, "have I a right to say anything.?" "Captain,"' 
said he, " you have all to say." "Then, General," said I, 
"it is very easily settletl. If I have all to say, I will stay 
where I am, with the Ninth Corps." Then congratulations 
came thick and fast from all the generals and other officers 
of the Ninth Corps who happened at the time to be at 
Headquarters. Capt. Hicks, of Burnside's staff, then ap- 
proached him and said, "General, we ought to give Capt. 
Roemer something as a momento from the Ninth Corps, in 
recognition of the meritorious services rendered to us by 
him while he has been with us so far." Gen. Burnside 
almost instantly replied to the suggestion, "Capt. Hicks, 
present Capt. Roemer with the flag he so bravely defended 
at the siege of Knoxville. " Then came hurrahs for Battery 



VETERAN FURLOUGH. 1 79 

L and, after bidding all adieu, I returned to our camp. Just 
as I was leaving Headquarters, Gen. Ferrero came to me 
and said, -'I am going to your cam]i with you ; I want to 
give your boys a little speech." He did so and made a 
very fine speech, in the course of which he referred to 
nearly every battle in which the Battery had taken part 
since it had been attached to the Ninth Corps, in Septem- 
ber, 1862, just before the battle of Antietam. He com- 
mented on the superior marksmanship of its gunners, the 
accuracy of their aim, and its superiority in maneuvers on 
the battlefield. Referring again to Antietam, he said, 
■'Boys, when you crossed that three-arched bridge over 
Antietam Creek on the 17th of September, 1862, you made 
a name for Battery L. I wish you much pleasure on your 
furlough as veterans, and that I know you will have, for you 
have well earned it." After bidding officers and men 
"good-bye," Gen. Ferrero returned to Headquarters. 

At 10 A. M. that day, the i6th, the Battery left Blains 
Cross Roads for Strawberry Plains, where it arrived at 3 
p. ."M. The Battery started out the next morning to cross 
the Clinch Mountains on their way to Cumberland Gap. 
Lieut. Heasley and I remained behind to complete the 
transfer of ordnance, and ordnance and quartermaster's 
stores, four guns, battery-wagon, forge, baggage-wagons, 
and seventy horses, to Capt. Buckley, Battery D, ist R. I. 
Art., as directed by Special Order, No. 15. 

The rations served to the men before starting consisted 
of three bushels of corn, which was to last them until they 
reached Cumberland Gap. Before starting, h()\ve\er, I re- 
ceived an order from our Quartermaster on the Depot Quar- 
termaster at the Gap, for an issue to the Battery of four ra- 
tions per man, as there were none at Strawberry Plains. I 
also ol)tained five green bullock hides, for there were fifteen 
men without shoes. These hides were cut into strips about 



I CO REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

eighteen inches wide. A strip was wound around the foot 
and ankle in such a way that it woukl protect the feet on 
the march over the mountain. 

Lieut. Heasley and I now followed the men, reaching- the 
bivouac at Flat Creek at 9 p. m. on the 17th. The Battery 
had halted at the mill. The miller's residence was a short 
distance away up the side of the mountain. Some of the 
boys went up to pay him a visit, for they had learned some- 
how that the miller had two daughters, and they had thought 
it no more than right that they should pay them some little 
attention. They were soon on a friendly footing with the 
family, and what with singing and dancing, they made no 
little noise. This noise was what they wanted ( they had 
planned it before hand), and when it had become sufficient- 
ly great, those left at the mill started the wheel and pro- 
ceeded to grind the three bushels of corn issued to them in 
the morning, the noise of the mill being drowned bv the 
noise at the house. Not being satisfied with the corn they 
had brought they did a little foraging, and found in the up- 
per loft of the mill about four bushels of corn, which they 
also ground and addetl to what they already had. ^Michael 
Nau, a miller by trade, and another of the Battery boys, 
took charge of the grinding. The seven bushels of meal 
thus obtained were rapidly and securely packed and ]ilaced 
in the wagon as a resource for emergencies. 

The boys also took possession of the miller's barn on the 
opposite side of the road from the mill. All this had oc- 
curred before we reached the bivouac. \Miile Lieut. Heas- 
ley and I were yet some half a mile distant we could hear 
the singing and merry-making and smell a savory order. 
When we, finally, reached the place, we found the men en- 
gaged in baking corn dodgers. They invited Lieut. Heas- 
ley and myself to join them in their sumptuous meal, which 
we very willingly accejited, for, since morning we had 



CLOSE OF THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. l8l 

tasted nothing. It was as good as a feast, though the meal 
consisted of nothing but corn dodgers washed down with 
good, cool, spring water. Such food, furthermore, was all 
we could expect to get for some time to come, as the order 
of October i8, 1863, was still in force, — "Not more than 
one-half, nor less than one-fourth, rations to be issued to 
officers and men." 

The party at the miller's house did not return until after 
10 p. M. During the repast, the story of the strategy used 
to start the mill was related. Therefore, taking all things 
into consideration, I thought it best, to avoid all controversy 
with the miller, to order a resumption of the march at 4 a. m. 

At the designated hour on the 18th, the Battery marched 
away. Snow and rain were falling, and we marched but 
nine miles, halting near Flat Creek, in front of a farm house. 
I inquired for its owner and was told, " The mistress is 
boss. ' The mistress appeared. "Madam,"' said I, "what 
I want to know is simply this, — can I use your barn to shel- 
ter my men to-night and have some straw for them to sleep 
on.'" She answered, "Yes." The men took possession of 
the barn at once. Then I asked the woman, "Have you 
anything to eat in the house .•" '' She replied, "No, not a 
morsel.'' "My good lady," said I, " if you have anything 
in the house for my men to eat, I will pay you for it. Now, 
if you have and won't let me have it, my men will be wel- 
come to what they can finil, and any complaining on your 
part after they have taken it will be wholly useless." " Well, 
Captain," said she, "all I have in the house is one ham." 
" Bring it," I said, " and put it on tlie table. " It was brought 
and it jiroved to be a good-sized one. " I have sixty-nine 
nien, ' I now said, "now cut the ham and show me how 
much you will give me as one ration for each man. I will 
give you twenty-five cents a ration of one corn doilger and 
ham." The amount cut was satisfactory. I ordered First 



1 82 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Sergeant Johnston to see that each man received the same 
fjuantity as was shown by the sample. The distribution 
was made and First Sergeant Johnston reported that it was 
all right. I then paitl the bill. 

I then asked the woman if she would give my men a light 
breakfast in the morning. She answered, " Xo. I have not 
another morsel in the house." "Well, my good woman," 
said I, "I should like to give my men another good meal, 
for they have not had one in three months, and as we are 
going among the mountains I would like to have them have 
one good meal before we start." '• I am sorry to say. Cap- 
tain,"" she replied. "I have nothing at all in the house." 
"All right," said I, "but if you have lied to me, and you 
complain in the morning, just recollect that I shall give you 
no satisfaction." After their supper of corn dodgers and 
ham the men slept very well. 

In the morning, as soon as I was up, the mistress came 
to me and said that during the night three of her largest 
hams had been stolen. " Madam,'" said I, "it is nothing 
to me how many of your hams have been stolen. You 
either lied to me last night or you are lying now. I cannot 
believe anything you say. If you had laid those hams on 
the table last night I would have guaranteed their safety. 
We are 'Yanks;" anything that is laid on the table the 
'Yank' will vouch for." Nevertheless, I ordered a search 
to be made in the wagon and in the mens knapsacks, but 
not a trace of the hams was to be found, and I was then 
fully convinced that my men had stolen no hams. 

We marched on, and at 9 a. m. reached the Clinch River, 
which was crossed by a rope ferry. The ferryman became 
quite impatient because the men were so long in embark- 
ing, for some of them had gone to visit the houses near by 
in search of corn dodgers or whatever other eatables they 
could find. Finally, we started, but had gone but a little 



VETERAN Fl'RLOlGH. I 83 

way only, when I saw on the top of the hill one of my men 
with both hands full and heard him shouting, " I want to go 
along too." We backed to the landing and he came aboard. 
Soon we reached the other bank and resumed the march, 
which continued all day. The Battery reached Cumberland 
Ga]i January 20th, after a march of seventeen miles. Here 
the men were easily provided for as regards shelter, as there 
were regular barracks which they could use. Here, too, we 
expected to draw sixteen days* raticms, four in arrears and 
twelve in advance, a total of 1,104 rations for sixty-nine 
men, which would last them while crossing the mountains, 
but, to our bitter disappointment, I found I coukl tlraw one- 
half a ration only per man and that for only one day at a 
time. I also learned that we would have to wait one week 
before we could draw any rations for future use, because we 
must wait until the provision trains shoukl arrive from the 
north. I drew the one-half ration and returned to cam]), 
and when 1 acquainted the boys with the facts I had learned 
concerning the rations, they became wild. They wanted to 
start off at once over the mountains without rations and 
trust to luck for food, they were so eager to reach home. 
But such a thing as that was not to be thought of, for it 
might result in a court martial of the I^attery's com- 
mander. 

I must here say that the march from Strawberry Plains to 
Cumberland Gap had to be conducted with the greatest cau- 
tion, as the Avhole countrv around was infested with gueril- 
las and bushwhackers wht) ditl not hesitate to shoot any 
Union soUliers they saw. I used my two horses, ridden by 
good men, as cavalrv Hankers, two hundred vards off on 
eachtlank when going through the woods or along roads, 
as circumstances demanded, to ])rotect the men and the 
baggage wagon. 'The men of the Battery were directed to 
march in a body concentrated around the wagon, as that 



184 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

was our only fort and fire-arms were scarce. There was in 
the whole command but eight sabers and eight revolvers. 

After distributing- the rations already drawn, I made search- 
ing inquiries concerning rations, and learned, much to my dis- 
may, that nothing could be done to help ;is. We could draw 
half rations only and those day by day onl}', as stated before. 
We finally concluded to go ahead. I told the men I had no 
authority to go on without a proper supply of rations, and 
if we did start without them, every man must sign a state- 
ment exonerating me, as their commander, if any mishap 
should occur during the journey, from want of food, over 
the mountains from Cumlicrland Gap to Camp Nelson, Ky. 
Every man signed the statement and then crowded around 
me to induce me to give them a dollar or two each that they 
might buy \vhat could be bought from those at the Cap who 
had food to sell. By the time I had finished giving out 
money, I found I had given out the sum of eighty-five dol- 
lars. They soon made their purchasers and then were eager 
to start on their journey through the wilds of the Cumber- 
land mountains. I was A'ery much afraid our supply of pro- 
visions would not be sufficient to carry us through alive. 

The start was made at about noon January 20th, and, at 
first, we did very well, but it w^as not long before we came 
to snow, and, of course, had to sleep in it wrapped up as 
best W'e could be, in our blankets, with no shelter over us. 
The wheels of our wagon had to be wound with ropes to 
kec]i them from slipping and sliding over the precipices cov- 
ered with ice and snow. This had to be repaired every 
morning as the wear and tear to which it was subjected 
every day tore the wrajiping com])letely off. 

For two or three days during our tramp over the moun- 
tains, our cook, Billy Howard, brought mc for breakfast sev- 
eral slices of fine ham. I (piestioned hini closely as to 
where they came from, as I knew our mess chest contained 



VETERAN FURLOUGH. I 85 

nothing of the sort. All he would say was, that they had 
bought it at some place on the road. I knew that in that 
part of the country the houses were some thirty or forty 
miles apart, and the country itself so poor that a sparrow 
would starve to death in harvest time, consequently I did 
not believe he was telling the truth. However, I said noth- 
ing, but ate the ham and was glad enough to have it.* 

The march over the mountains was a rough one, for most 
of the men had no shoes and all had no shelter whatever at 
night. Besides these discomforts rations were extremely 
short, for, during this march of eleven days our sixty-nine 
men and two officers had but the seven bushels of meal, 
and (what was unknown to me at the time) the three hams 
stolen from the widow's house at Flat Creek, together the 
small (juantity of provisions purchased by the men individ- 
ually at Cumberland Gap. Nevertheless, and in spite of 
these discomforts, the men were happy, for they were going 
home. 

The Battery arrived at Camp Dick Robinson January 28th, 
and here the first rations were drawn. It then crossed the 
Kentucky river to Camp Nelson, arri\'ing there on the 29th. 



* Six years afterward, a reunion of the Battery was held at College 
Point, near Flushing, L. I., in commemoration of the battle of Blue 
Springs. After the baiYquet, when speeches and toasts were in order, 
one of the boys arose, and, addressing me, asked, " Captain, did you ever 
find out who stole the three hams from the widow at Flat Creek in Jan- 
uary, 1864?" "No," I replied. "Well," he continued, "you ate many 
slices of those hams during the march over the Cumberland mountains' 
and this is the way we kept you from finding out anything about them. 
Whenever we halted, we removed them from the wagon and buried them 
in the snow, where they remained until we started forward again, when 
they were replaced in the wagon. It pleased us greatly that we suc- 
ceeded in keeping the matter secret. Now, however, the secret is out." 
" Well, boys," said I in reply to this unexpected disclosure, which solved 
the puzzle which had so long mystified me, " all I have to say is they 
were certainly the very best hams I ever tasted in my life.'" 



I 86 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR KOEMER. 

Here each mail was fitted out with a suit of new uniform 
clothing, shoes, and the necessary amount of underclothing, 
including shirts, drawers, and stockings, ^^"hen this was ac- 
complished, the m.en were truly presentable. Had our Flush- 
ing people seen them before they were thus transformed into 
respectable looking soldiers, I doubt if they would have 
given them a night's shelter, for some of them, I must say, 
had scarcely clothing enough to cover their nakedness. I 
had had no opportunity to draw clothing for them since the 
beginning of the Tennessee campaign. Our greatest p;iva- 
tion was the want of coffee, of which we had had none for 
six weeks. A train in which there were three wagon loads 
of it, came within three miles of us at Knoxville, but was 
captured by the enemy, and it was this same capture that 
prevented us from obtaining clothing. We were then com- 
pletely surrounded by the enemy and no sujiplies of any 
kind could reach us. 

The Battery finally reached Xicholasville, where it took 
the cars at 3 p. m, , January 30th, for Covington, where it ar- 
rived at 4 A. M. on the 31st, and went into barracks assigned 
it, where the men could once more stretch themselves on a 
cot. Here it remained nine days, which were spent by the 
officers in making out muster and pay rolls, and also the 
bounty rolls for the enlisted men. Each man that had re- 
enlisted (all that were with me had done so) was paid to No- 
vember 15, 1863 (the date of the re-enlistment rolls), and also 
received $100 bounty for services rendered. Furthermore, 
each re-enlisted man received for re-enlisting $400 from the 
United States, $300 from Queens County, N. Y. , and $75 
from the State of New York. No commissioned officers 
were entitled to these bounties. 

After the men had passed three nights in the barracks, I 
noticed on the morning of the fourth day, that there was a 
great deal of coughing among them while on their way to 



VETERAN FURLOUGH. I 87 

breakfast. I halted them and said, "I thought hist night 
that I had a h)t of dogs with me instead of men. judging 
from the amount oi barking I heard (hiring the night. All 
through our march over the mountains when you slept every 
night amid snow and ice, I did not hear any coughing at 
all." At once, one of the men spoke up, "Well, Captain, 
we aren't used to civilization yet." 

On the ninth of February, the men having recei\-ed their 
pay and everything being ready, we started for Albany, X. 
Y. , to report to the Governor of the State in accordance with 
the orders of the Secretary of War. We arrived at Albany 
on the iith. Gov. E. D. Morgan received us with all the 
honors that could be bestowed upon veterans. In his ad- 
dress of welcome the Governor dwelt at length upon the 
Battery's work on the battletiehl and upon the hardships en- 
countered during our long marches. Among other things 
he said, "Boys, I am proud of you, and. Captain, the fact 
that this little baiul has re-enlisted under your command 
shows that they like you and are willing to follow you 
through all dangers. Captain Roemer, I now give you the 
official ortler changing the designation of your Battery, which 
will hereafter be styled the I'hirty-Fourth New York Inde- 
pendent Veteran Volunteer Light Battery. The War De- 
partment notified me of your coming, and has also informed 
me of your valor in the held. Now, Captain, my friends 
and friends of this Battery desire to have the honor of en- 
tertaining your brave boys for one night." " Your Excel- 
lency,'' I replied, " I have already telegraphed to our towns- 
people of Flushing that we will be there to-morrow." 
"Captain," said he, "I beg of you to allow me and the 
Sanitary Commission to entertain you and your command 
for one night." " Well, your Excellency," I replied, " I ac- 
cept your very jiressing invitation to us aiul thank you in 
behalf of mv command." 



100 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

We were most sumptuously entertained with a tine dinner 
by tlie ladies of Albany, and, I need not say, we did full 
justice to it. The next day, the 12th, we left Albany for 
New York city, where we arrived the next morning at 5 
o'clock. The Sanitary Commission at Albany had telegraphed 
the New York body to have a good breakfast ready for us. 
Then, after a hearty meal, we marched across the city to 
James Slip, where we took the ferry to Hunter's Point (now 
Long Island City) where we took the cars for Flushing. 
While crossing the meadows before reaching the village, I 
caused my two buglars to sound their instruments a few 
times to herald our coming. These were heard in the vil- 
lage, and the church bells began to ring and the people to 
assemble at the station on Main street. As soon as we ar- 
rived at the station, I ordered the men to fall in. and then we 
marched out to the street. 

When I beheld the crowd of people assembled there, I was 
bewildered and knew not what to do. Just as we emerged 
from the station, Charles R. Lincoln * saw that I was over- 
come. He came to me and said, " I know what the matter 
with you is. You had not expected to meet with such a re- 
ception as this. Take my arm. " The next familiar face I 
saw was that of G. R. Garretson, who smilingly approached, 
grasped my hand and said, "Words at such a time as this 
are useless, but I must say, ' Welcome to you and your 
brave boys.' Captain, you are the same true Roemer you 
have always been.'" All the while the bells continued ring- 
ing. Fire engines, hose carts and firemen were hurrying 
around and forming line. Citizens were crowding around 
me to shake my hand. k'ven the ladies crowded around 
me congratulating my men and myself. My head ^\•as in a 



* Mr. Lincoln was at that time editor of the Flushing:: .Journal, and to 
him I liacl telet,'rai)hed the eveninj? of the 11th regi^rdinj^ our arrival. 



VETERAN FURLOUGH. 1 89 

whirl, and I knew not how to command myself. To wit- 
ness the patriotism and receive the welcome of the citizens 
of my adopted town, unner\-ed me more than being- on the 
battlefield. The line was quickly formed and we marched 
down Main street to the Liberty Pole, where we once more 
saluted "Old Glory," and thence to the Flushing Hotel. 
All along- Main street, there were crowds of men, women, 
and children assembled to greet us. while ever and anon, 
one or another ran out to meet and grasp the hand of some 
one in the Battery in hearty welcome. When we had 
reached the hotel, the Rev. Dr. Smith was the first to meet 
me in welcome, while a host of ladies and gentlemen pressed 
around us, speaking wonls of hearty welcome. We were 
then invited into the dining room where a bountiful repast 
awaited us, and of which we partook while the ladies waited 
on us and did the honors of the occasion. The dinner was 
a grand success, that did great honor to its projectors. The 
band of veterans who enjoyetl it, had good reason to feel 
ver}' grateful for the dinner and the welcome that accom- 
panied it. \A'hen the banquet was over, we separated with 
orders to report at Fort Schuyler, New York Harbor, March 
13th, 1864, after the thirty days" furlough. We all were very 
anxious to visit our own homes to meet those who were im- 
patiently awaiting us. 

While we remained in Flushing, we gave, at the refpiest of 
a large number of citizens, an exhibition drill with two 
pieces on the old camp ground, then known as Camp Todd. 
Of course, now all is changed, but at that time Congress 
avenue was all of twenty feet higher than it is now. This 
camp ground was then the finest piece of land that could be 
selected on which to organize and drill the Battery. As we 
lay here nearly three months before leaving for the front, 
old Camp Todd will never be forgotton by the Battery boys 
who were here initiated into the United States service, so 



190 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

long- as they shall live. The maneuvers performed b)^ the 
boys were greatly appreciated by the spectators, but I must 
say I did not have such complete control over the men tlur- 
ing this drill as I was accustomed to have in the field, for, 
as they were on their veteran furlough, I could not put any 
one in the guard house. 

According- to all reports, the boys had a right royal time 
during their furlough, and were very willing to return to the 
field and again face the dangers and hardships of war. 

One day while at home, I received as a present from Mrs. 
Abraham Bloodgood, a fine gold and enameled pen and 
pencil case. The present was accompanied with a note, 
which read as follows : "I send you this memento in rec- 
ognition of }'our valor, and also for use in keeping your 
accounts with the Government of the United States." 

A meeting of the officers of the Ninth Corps was held on 
the nth of March, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York 
City. I was notified to be present also, for the meeting 
had been called for the purpose of a consultation regarding 
the reorganization of the Corps, and the arms to be used by 
the different regiments and liatteries, especially the latter, 
in the coming campaigns. At this meeting I learned that 
Gen. Burnside desired to have the 34th N. Y. Battery armed 
with six Napoleon bronze guns, for flanking purposes. I 
remonstrated against this, for we were wholly unused to 
such guns, and I did not \\ant to have to give up my prac- 
tice with rifle-guns, to learn something so dift'erent. Capt. 
Benjamin, Chief of Artillery, now came to my assistance 
and asked Gen. Burnside's permission to say a few words 
in my behalf. The desired permission was given, and 
Capt. Benjamin went on to say, "Then, General, I shall 
recommend that you give Ciipt. Roemer what he wants. 
He has always been extremely proud of his rifle battery, 
and, in every ])osition in which he has been jilaced, he has 



VETERAN FURLOEGH. I9I 

always proved himself master of the situation." Con. 
Burnside then said, ' • Capt. Roemer, you shall ha\'e vour 
rifle battery again. I had selected you for Xapolcons, to 
be one of my flanking batteries, but 1 give way. Are you 
satisfied, Captain.?" '' Most assuredly I am," I answered. 
Both Capt. Benjamin and I thanked him for this decision. 

Gen. Burnside then asked, "How are you getting along 
with your recruiting — have you nearly made up your quota .'' 
I wish you to report wlien it is full." I had alreatly reported 
in writing that same day that eighty-five men had been 
obtained. After reporting the number 1 then said, " (ien- 
eral, I have not had a day to myself since we came home, 
and I would very much like to have a few tlays with my 
family." "Well, Captain," he replied, "you deserve them 
and shall have them." Thereupon, he wrote out and gave 
me an order granting me ten days' leave of absence in addi- 
tion for myself. 

I did not return to Flushing till the ne.xt day, March 12th, 
but when I did, I found awaiting me an order from the War 
Department directing me to report at Fort Schuyler on 
March 15th, and have my command shippetl on the steamer 
Moses Taylor for Staten Island, where it would be trans- 
ferred to the steamer Faimyiox transportation to Annajiolis, 
Md. The latter steamer had already on bcjard 1,000 infan- 
try, and these, as well as the Battery, were placed vmder 
my command. Thus it will be seen my ten days' leave was 
cut verv short. 



CHAPTER XI. 



RETURN FROM THE VETERAN FURLOUGH. THE WILDERNESS. 
SPOTTSYLVANL\ COURT HOUSE. 

The men began reporting for duty at Fort Schuyler on 
March 13th, but not all had reported by the 25th. On that 
date, however, all present were embarked at 4:30 p. m. on 
the steamer Moses Taylor and were transferred to New York 
city, where they went on board the steamer Fanny. The 
Fan)iy set sail at 10 a. m. on the 26th for Annapolis, Md. 
The first day of our voyage was very pleasant, but on the 
morning of the second there were indications of a coming 
storm. At 11 p. m. it came, and with a vengeance. It blew 
a hurricane, and by the time we sighted Cape Henry light, 
it really seemed that we would be unable to weather it, in- 
deed, the Fanny's captain said if we had been ten minutes 
later in coming around, we would have been dashed upon 
the rocks, a result that would probably have been fatal to 
the 1,150 men under my command. One mast was broken 
off flush with the deck and went overboard. On looking 
down into the hoUl the next morning we beheld the sorriest 
looking crowd one can ever expect to see anywhere. 

However, we arrivetl safely at Annapolis at 5 a. m., and 
disembarked at 7 a. m., March 28th. 1 immediately report- 
ed to Col. Hartranft, commanding the Ninth Corps, and re- 
ceived orders to take the Battery to Camp Parole and draw 
the necessary camji and garrison equipage. For the next 



RETURN FROM VETERAN FURLOUGH. 1 93 

two days, 29th and 30th, a severe storm kept us confined to 
our quarters. 

On the third of April there was presented to the Battery 
by Miss Celia L. Roe, afterward the wife of Samuel W. 
Bownc, and daughter of Capt. George B. Roe, of Flushing, 
a magnificent silk artillery guidon. It bore the names of the 
most important engagements in which the Battery had taken 
part, — "Cedar Mountain, Sulphur Springs, Second INIanas- 
sas, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg and Knoxville," — while on 
the staff was a silver plate inscribed, " Hamilton Light Ar- 
tillery of Flushing, X. Y. '" For the purpose of receiving 
this guidon with proper honors, the Battery had been drawn 
up in line, and when the beautiful emblem of our contests 
had been presented and unfurled. I told the men they had 
the best reason to be proud of it, for it was presented to the 
Battery by one of the young ladies of Flushing as a me- 
mento of our past services. I then asked .them, "What 
will be the duty of every man in the Thirty-Fourth New 
York Battery should this beautiful guidon be in danger of 
capture.' "' In reply they shouted, "To defend it at all haz- 
ards." I then passed the guidon to First Sergeant Johnston, 
and he in turn passed it down the line, and each man as he 
grasped the staff vowed he would never allow the guidon to 
be disgraced or captured. In ortler to impress u]ion my 
brave men the importance of defending their flag, even at 
the cost of their lives, I reatl to them the order of Lieut. - 
Gen. Grant, our new General-in-Chief, as follows : 

"Any regiment, battery, troop, or separate command in 
the tieUl, that loses its flag by capture or otherwise, will not 
be allowed to carry one thereafter until it has captured a 
standard from the enemy."' 

.\pril 14th the Battery received orders from (ien. Burnside 
to go to Washington and then to Camp Marshall, and there 
to draw guns, caissons, battery wagon, forge, baggage wag- 



194 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

ons, and horses. All these were received April 22d. There 
were six three-inch rifled ordnance guns, weighing as fol- 
lows : — 723, 729, 747, 749, 752 and 753 pounds, six cais- 
sons, one battery wagon and one forge, and the full number 
of horses. I received orders on April 24th to draw all stores 
and ammunition needed for the full equipment of the Bat- 
tery, and to be ready to cross the Potomac with the Ninth 
Corps on Sunday, April 25th. The Battery received at once 
all the supplies called for with the exception of saddle- 
blankets, Avhich could not be had. I, therefore, instructed 
the dri^'ers to use their own blankets as such until tlie proper 
ones could be obtained from the arsenal. At 9 p. ji. the 
Battery being complete in every detail, a report was sent to 
Gen. Burnside's headquarters that the Thirty-Fourth New 
York Independent \'eteran \'oIunteers Light Battery was 
ready to receive marching orders. Fifteen minutes later an 
order came assigning the Thirty-Fourth Battery to the post 
of honor at the head of the Ninth Corps, over 20,000 strong, 
to lead it across the Potomac over Long Bridge into Virginia 
on the morning of the 25th of April. 

The next morning all were up bright and early, and made 
all the necessary arrangements for an early start on the 
march. The boys were highly elated over the honor be- 
stowed upon them by Gen. Burnside, and performed their 
duties with great alacrity. The Battery left Camp Marshall 
at 10 A. M., April 25th, on its way to Long Bridge, andpassed 
down IV>nnsylvania avenue in review before President Lin- 
coln, Lieut. -Gen. (irant, (jcu. Burnside and many other offi- 
cers, both military and civil, wlio liad assembled together 
on the balcony of Wilhird's Hotel and saluted as the Battery 
and the otlier troops passed bv. \\'e, of the 'I'hirty-Fourth 
Battery, at the head of the column, with a ca\'alry escort in 
front, felt that we were being sidijected to a very close 
scruting by the military officers, and were, therefore, bound 



THE WILDKKNESS. 



195 



to appear at our best. The cannoneers sat on the ammuni- 
tion chests as rigid and erect as English cockney coachmen, 
with folded arms, and acted as if they thoroughly appreci- 
ated their dignity and the importance of the occasion. 

The Battery crossed Long Bridge and halted near Alexan- 
dria. The next day it marched to Fairfax C\ II., and on 
the following day to Bristoe Station, then went forward and 
arrived at Warrenton Junction April 28th, where it went into 
camp and put four pieces in jiosition, and on the 30th was 
mustered for pay. 

On the 4th of May, the day appointed by Lieut, (jen. 
Grant for a grand combined advance against the enemy by 
all the armies of the Lhiited States, east and west, the Bat- 
tery started for Rappahannock Station. It reachetl Rapidan 
River on the 5th, crossed it o\-er a pontoon bridge, and 
went into camp about one mile beyond it. At 6 a. m. the 
next morning (^lay 6th), it marched to the Wilderness. 
Here the Battery was ordered into a position through an 
aide. Looking around, I immediately saw the position was 
one not at all fit for artillery to take, as it was wholly sur- 
rounded by large trees. The enemy's infantry could easily 
advance and destroy my cannoneers, while I could not give 
our infantry the proper support. I then asked the aide from 
whom he received orders to have the Battery take that pos- 
ition. "From Headquarters," he replied. I then halted 
the Battery and rode forward to the battle line to see Gen. 
Willcox. There learning he had just gone to the right of the 
line, I followed him. Coming up with him and saluting, I 
asked, "General, did you assign me to that position in the 
woods.'" " Yes," he replied, "don't it suit you.'" "No, 
General," I said, "it don't suit me at all." "Well, Cap- 
tain," he returned, "go back and take any position that will 
suit you, provided you can protect the infantry and j'our 
own Battery, and hereafter, if you think you can do better 



196 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

in some other position than in that to which you may be 
assigned, exercise your own judgment. " 

I returned and at once changed position to the rear of our 
line of battle, on a commanding knoll, where I found a 
large force inider the command of Major W. A. Treadwell, 
14th N. Y. H. Art., which had been ordered to support the 
Battery. IMajor Treadwell had just formed his line of bat- 
tle, and his men were engaged in throwing up breastworks 
to protect us and his own men. After reaching a place in 
his rear which just suited me, the Major came over to my 
position and said, "You have selected an elegant position, 
and I am here to support you." The fighting contact was 
coming nearer and nearer every minute, and I told him we 
had no time to lose. He set his men to work, and, in the 
course of an hour, six fairly good shelters were raised. 

By noon, the Battery was ready to give the rebels a warm 
reception. During a lull in the fighting that occurred just 
at this time, I sent word to my cook to bring up a little 
lunch, of which I invited Major Treadwell to partake. He 
accepted the inA'itation readily, as he had eaten nothing but 
one "hard tack" for nearly forty-eight hours. Our table 
was the limber chest of gun No. 2, and we quickly finished 
a can of quail, which I thought was chicken, as there was 
none of the toast which usually goes with quail. The Major 
declared it tasted better than any other meal he had eaten 
so far during the war. After we had finished our repast, 
we lighted our pipes. While we were enjoying a good 
smoke, the roll of musketry and the booming of cannon 
increased greatly in volume, but as no bullets, shot, or 
shell came uncomfortably near us, we paid but little atten- 
tion to them. 

While still sitting on the limber chest, I thought a little 
nap would not be out of order ; 1 lay across the chest and 
closed my eyes. Hardly had I done so, when a rebel bat- 



THE WILDERNESS. I 97 

tery opened fire upon our lines, and especially upon the 34th 
N. Y. Battery, but their shots went a little too high. A 
moment later a line of gray emerged from the woods directly 
in our front. Instantly I opened the limber chest, seized a 
cartridge and a shell and had a gun loaded. In less time 
than it takes to tell the story, our six guns were busy hurl- 
ing grape, canister, and sharpnel into the enemy's ranks. 
These and Major Treadwell's bullets were more than rebel 
flesh and blood could stand, and, after a brave attempt to 
stem the tide, they broke and made for cover, while we 
contmued pouring shot and shell into their ranks until they 
were out of sight and beyond our reach. This result was 
hailed with cheers by our supports. Major Treadwell was 
highly delighted with the conduct of his own men and pro- 
fuse in his praises of the 34th N. Y. Battery. In fact, he had 
a better opportunity for observing the effect of the Battery's 
fire than any of the Battery had, for his position was in 
front of us. He reported to us that the Battery's fire was 
terrible in its effect, and that not a single shot failed in doing 
execution. The coolness of all the troops at this point was 
remarkable, for a portion of Major Treadwell's command, 
consisting of the 24th N. Y. Vols, and the 2d Wis. Sharp- 
shooters, were raw troops. The sturdy old veterans of the 
14th N. Y. H. A. were, however, at their backs, and, there- 
fore, they fought well. 

At dark, the advance of the army to the left, to flank the right 
of Lee's army, necessitated a change in the position of the 
Battery. It quietly limbered up and moved out on the Wilder- 
ness road, and was followed a little later by its supports under 
Major Treadwell, who had also charge of several wagons 
laden with intrenching tools. It was, furthermore, his duty 
to guard our rear, and he did his work well, for all the wagons, 
tools, and stores were brought off without the slightest loss. 
At midnight the Battery again changed position. 



198 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Orders came at 2 a. m. , May 7th, to keep a most vigilant 
watch upon our front, and if the enemy were found press- 
ing- our pickets back to open fire at discretion. This soon 
occurred, and the Battery gave them five rounds. At 5 p. m. 
we fired fourteen rounds more, and at 7 p. m. orders came to 
he ready to inarch at a moment's notice. The order to 
march came at 11 p. m. The Eattery moved a few miles 
and then halted, remaining in column all night and until 
7 A. M. on the 8th, at which hour it continued the march to 
Chancellorsville, where it arrived at 5 p. m. and encamped. 
At 9 A. M. the next day, the 9th, it marched to Gage's Hill. 
Here one section was put into position while the other two 
sections were kept ready to act when and where an emer- 
gency might require. 

At 10 A. M. the whole Battery moved forward and soon a 
general engagement with the enemy ensued, lasting imtil 7 
p. m. In this engagement the Battery fired 380 rounds and, 
fortunately, suffered no casualties. The next day, the loth, 
all was quiet until 4 p. m. , when the ball again opened. 
Here the Battery was supported by Major Treadwell's bat- 
talion on the right. The enemy charged fiercely on our 
front looking towards Spottsylvania, C. H., aud on our left 
flank. The position was near the Beverly House. The 
battle was a severely, contested one, but we maintained our 
ground in spite of the foe's repeated charges, and remained 
masters of the field. At 5 p. m. the Battery fell back across 
the Ny River. At 5 a. m. on the nth orders came to take 
the former position at the Beverly House. Everything was 
quiet during the day and the succeeding night, but at 6 a. m. 
on the 12th the enemy opened fire on us. The morning 
was very foggy and, consequently, all firing was wild, pro- 
ducing no very serious results. 

Gen. Willcox and his aide, Capt. L. Curtis Brackett, came 
up to the Beverly House to see how the troops were posted. 



SPOTTSYLVAMA COURT HOUSE. 1 99 

Gen. Willcox g-ave orders to hold the left, bat said at the 
same time, "Captain, I must take Lieut. Heasley and your 
first section with me to the rig-ht and center." I remon- 
strated against this, saying-, "There are now ten pieces 
opposed to my si.x, and if you take Lieut. Heasley and one 
section away, it leaves the odds against me too great — ten 
rebel pieces against my four." Gen. Willcox replied, "I 
must have one of your sections with me to-day, and if you 
find during the day you cannot maintain your position with 
the two sections left, any artillery in the rear is at your 
command by my order.'" He then rode oft" with the first 
section while Capt. Brackett remained with me. 

Capt. Brackett and I ascended to the top of the Beverly 
House, gaining access to the roof through a skylight by the 
side of a big chimney. Tliis latter shielded us for a time 
from the enemy's view, but when the fog lifted they dis- 
covered us observing their movements, and announced 
their discovery by a number of shots at us from their l)at- 
teries in position near Spottsylvania, ('. H. Capt. Brackett 
soon disappeared through the skylight, after begging me to 
go with him, but I had told him I was not satisfied with the 
appearance of things on the left and must have one more 
good long look through my glass. Presently, the captain 
looked out through the skylight and remarked, "Captain, 
they are getting the range on you." And so it appeared, 
for he had hardly uttered these words, when a number of 
shots rattled around the chimney, and I thereupon followed 
Capt Brackett's example, and went through the skylight. 
closing it after me. Almost instantly afterwards the whole 
chimney came down with a startling crash Brackett called 
out, "What the devil is u]i. Roemer.^ Are you hurt .^ " 
"No," I responded, "we ha\-e the best of them this time. 
The scuttle above us is closed." The weather was now 
quite clear, and we could see from our position that the 



zoo REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

rebels had everything ready to give us a heavy dose of iron 
pills from their batteries on the hill and on our left in front 
of a farmhouse where four pieces were stationed We 
opened with two pieces on these four, and with the other 
two on the six-gun battery on the hill. It was now 9 
o clock A. M. , on the 12th, 

At ten o'clock the battle opened all along the line and it 
was growing quite hot around the Beverly House. Ten 
rebel guns against four Union guns was rather to great 
odds. At 10:30 the tiring was constant, but so far the Bat- 
tery had suffered no losses excepting two horses badly 
wountled. At this juncture Gen. Willcox and staff, attended 
by about twenty-five orderlies rode up. The General in- 
quired how I was making out. I replied that it was becom- 
ing pretty hot. " But can you hold your own .'' ' he asked. 
"That," I responded, "is what I always try very hard to 
do ' At that moment his attention was attracted by some 
object among the trees and he asked me what animal we 
had tied up there. I told him it was one of my men who 
had been playing truant for a week, and had been seen only 
when he came to draw his rations. On the last occasion I 
had ordered the sergeant to detain him, and, having pro- 
vided two lariats for the purpose, had ordered him to be 
tied up to two trees in a position which would place him 
directly under the enemy's fire, as that seemed to be the 
only way I could keep him in action. Gen. Willcox was 
much amused by the incident and said, "That's right, 
Roemer, keep him there till sundown." 

That same day. Major Treadwell's regiment with a num- 
ber of other regiments were on the Battery's right. The 
Major, after hearing the above story, said in his quick, bluff 
way, " I'll bet he is a big bounty man. Keep the (j-d d-d 

son of a there and get him killed, if possible, for the 

good of the service." But he was not to be killed. Al- 



SPOTTSYLVAXIA COURT HOUSE. 201 

though tons of iron and lead flew his way, nothing- touched 
him. Upon being untied at night, he disappeared and was 
never seen again. At all events, if he is still living, he can 
truly say he went through one battle. 

By eleven o'clock the battle on our front and left had 
become very hot and heavy. Seeing that my four pieces 
could not stand long against the rebel ten, I instructed my 
lieutenant, Chas. R. Lincoln, to pay all due respect to the 
six guns on our left and then rode off at a galloji to obtain 
assistance. I found and brought up two pieces of Capt. 
J. W. B. Wright's 14th Mass. Battery and placed them some 
two hundred yards apart, so that 1 could bring all six pieces 
to bear on any one of the enemy's guns I chose. While I 
was placing this section in position on the left, Lieut. Lin- 
coln who commanded the right section of the 34th N. Y. 
Battery, came up and said he could not hold his position as 
the enemy had cross-fire on it. I inquired what losses he 
had suffered, and he replied that several horses had been 
shot, and that nearly all the trees in the woods had been 
shot down. I ordered him to go back to his section and 
stay there so long as he had one cannoneer for each piece, 
and, furthermore, told him I would soon be there. When I 
finished putting Capt. Wright's section into position, I gal- 
loped back to the right section of the 34th to find out what 
the trouble was. As soon as I arrived, Capt. Brackett met 
me and halted. Just then a couple of shells Inirst right 
imder our horses. Each thought the other was killed, but 
both were uninjured. He then said, "Well, Roemer, how 
do you make it .-' " "Captain," I replied, "1 can't tell you 
now. but this fight will have to be settled within twenty 
minutes. " As we rode up to the right section, I said to the 
34th, " Boys, Battery L has been in twenty-six battles and 
has never given an inch to the rebels. I want to know who 
of you wants to get out .^ " With one wild yell, they shouted, 



202 KEHIXISCEXCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

" Captain, so long as you are with us, we will die by your 
side before we will flinch." 

Looking over the situation I saw with niy glass that the 
six-gun battery south of us and near a house, had some men 
in the house giving signals to the others to guide them in 
directing their fire upon us. I then told my men I would 
give them ten minutes to destroy that six-gun battery, and 
that, if they didn't, we were gone. I ordered Sergeant Ross- 
bach to bring his right gun in front of the Beverly House 
into a garden, and see if he could put a few percussion shell 
into that farm house just over the front door, taking the 
panels under the windows just above the door for his 
target. At that moment I could see some artillerymen 
sitting on a bed and watching us. Sergeant Rossbach 
took in the situation at once and became very much 
excited, so much so that I tried to calm him down 
somewhat, but he replied, "I know I am excited, but 
I well know what you expect me to do. You have 

given me the cue and I'll he d d if I don't open that 

door. " 

He opened fire on the house with percussion sliell, and 
after the second shot the rebels could be seen going out of 
the house through the front door as fast as human legs could 
carry them. I'he fourth shot set the bed on fire, for the 
shell entered the room right below the window sill. Smoke 
now began to issue from the house, and then we knew it 
was doomed. I now mounted my horse and told Sergeant 
Rossbach that, just as soon as he saw me down at the left 
section, he should change to shrapnel and knock that six-gun 
battery into a cocked hat. The cannoneers of Sergeant 
Rossbach's piece were obliged to lie under the muzzle of the 
gun on their backs while loading it, and when the gun was 
fired it recoiled from six to ten feet, because the position 
was on rising ground. 



SPOTTSYLVAMA COURT HOUSE. 203 

I then galloped down to the left section and ordered the 
cannoneers to change from shrapnel to percussion shell and 
direct their tire upon the farm house so that no one on the 
rebel side would venture to attempt to put out the tire. I 
also found that my other section had been doing great dam- 
age to the four-gun battery stationed nearer Spottsylvania 
Court House. Sergeant Rossbach"s piece made terrible 
work of the six-gun battery, for if- was wholly knocked to 
pieces ; so many of its horses were killed and bailly wound- 
ed that two pieces only could be dragged off the tield, the 
other four being left behind. 

By this time the farm house was entirely destroyed, and I 
ordered Sergeant Rossbach to turn his piece and the other 
gun belonging to that section upon the four-gun battery near 
Spottsylvania Court House. Firing by battery they soon 
silenced the four guns, and then the enemy's artillery spoke 
no more. We now believed that the combat was ended, 
but, in this, we were mistaken and disappointed, for a cav- 
alry charge which startled me came directly toward us. I 
ordered shrapnel and percussion shell to be fired, with the 
guns aimed at the horses' hoofs. Twelve shots caused the 
cavalry to halt and turn back, and as they turned I ordered 
four shots tired at the horses' tails. That was the last we 
saw of any cavalry that day. 

I now took out my watch and said to the men, "Boys, I 
will give you ten minutes to destroy the remnant of the six- 
gun battery."' They did it splendidly in seven and one-half 
minutes. I then despatched an orderly post haste to head- 
quarters to report that all the artillery and cavalry in my 
front had been subdued. I then explained to the men why 
our position had to be held at all hazards, saying, "If we 
had been driven out of it we would have had to fall back 
five or six hundred yards directly under the enemy's fire, 
and many of us would, doubtless, have been shot in the 



204 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

back. I don't fancy having any of my men thus wounded." 
Many of the officers of the infantry regiments in our front 
and on our flanks, who had observed the Battery's fine work, 
and especially Major Treadwell, commander of our imme- 
diate support, now came up and congratulated us in the 
warmest manner. They all thought that the Thirty-Fourth 
New York Battery had had a narrow escape from annihila- 
tion during the hot contest. 

My orderly now returned from headquarters with orders 
from Gen. Willcox for me to put another battery in my po" 
sition and then proceed with the Thirty-Fourth to the right, 
and to report in person at headquarters as soon as possible. 
I immediately sent for another battery, and, as soon as it 
was in position, sent the Thirty-Fourth to the rear of the line 
of battle of the First Division, and then with my orderly 
went by the shortest route to Gen. Willcox's headquarters to 
obtain further orders. I told Gen. Willcox the Battery was 
coming and asked for the Chief of iVrtillery to assign me my 
position. Capt. Benjamin, Chief of Artillery, was not there 
then. Gen. Burnside now rode up and asked, "What does 
Capt. Roemer want .'' " Gen. Willcox replied, "To find Ben- 
jamin to have a position assigned him." Burnside then 
turned to me and said, "Captain Roemer will not wait for 
the Chief of Artillery, but will look out for a place to suit 
himself" I thanked the General for his confidence, but he 
replied, "No thanks. Captain, you know best where your 
Battery is wanted." 

I then galloped off with my orderly toward the right. The 
battle line of the Ninth Corps ran west from the extreme left 
of the Union lines toward the right, where it joined the left 
of the line of the Second Corps, commanded by Gen. W. S. 
Hancock. His line ran north, nearly at right angles with 
the Ninth Corps line. To reach this ponit we had to ford 
Spottsylvania Creek. In this angle was a fine knoll that was 



SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE. 205 

the position for a battery, as it afforded a good defense 
ag-ainst attacks made by the enemy on either Hancock's or 
Burnside's lines. Two pieces only of Hancock's artillery 
were at all near, about six hundred yards distant to the 
north. Eleven pieces of the Ninth Corps artillery were about 
eight hundred yards west. I looked on this position as one 
that had been entirely neglected, and yet it was a most im- 
portant one for artillery. 

We then rode back to the creek, as I wanted to tind out 
where the Battery could cross it in the easiest way and as 
quickh'- as possible. The western bank was very steep and 
from six to eight feet back from the water. I wished the 
Battery to cross as nearly south of the knoll as possible to 
the eastern bank, so that the gun carriages might have shel- 
ter as soon as they had crawled up the bank. I then sent 
my orderh^ to bring the Battery up to the place I had select- 
ed. I'he crossing was exposed to the enemy's fire. The 
first gun carriage crossed safely in spite of three shots aimed 
at it by the enemy, and all. finally, crossed in safety, though 
some twenty shots came from the enemy. The only cas- 
ualties were splashes of black creek mud and water spat- 
tered over the men. Captain Hogan, our medical officer, 
who witnessed the crossing, has often said since then. "I 
can yet see your Battery, men, horses, and guns, getting up 
that bank at Spottsylvania Creek, but how they got up is a 
mystery to me. " 

The position selected had a clear field to the south and 
rear of it, extending some five hundred yards from the creek. 
The Battery was placed in position on the knoll without at- 
tracting the enemy's notice. Everything being in order and 
the Battery being entirely shielded and invisible to the ene- 
my, I ordered the men to lie flat on the ground. They had 
lain so for about fifteen minutes, when, suddenly, the rebel 
yell was heard, "yi-yi-yi. " The four guns were at once 



2o6 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

shoved forward and loaded with shrapnel. The enemy were 
charging on Burnside's line to our left, thus presenting their 
left flank to the Battery, and gave us a chance to send our 
shots directly lengthwise of their line from left to right. 
Taking my glass to observe the effect of our fire, I ordered 
the men to fire all four pieces by battery fire. 71ie effect 
was terril)le : we could see plainly the great gaps made in 
their line. This fire was repeated once, twice, and five times; 
and great was the consternation among the Confederates. 
With the fifth battery fire the charge was broken, and I gave 
the order "Cease firing.'' At this order, No. 7 of the can- 
noneers of each piece, whose station is at the limber chest, 
must put all shot, shell, or shrapnel into the chest. While 
they were doing this, Major Hutchins, one of Gen. Burn- 
side's aides, came up from the rear of the right piece, and 
asked, "What battery is this .'' " " The Thirty-Fourth New 
York," responded No. 7 of that gun detachment. " It can't 
be," said the Major, "That l)attery is on the left." " Major, 
I tell you this is the Thirty-Fourth New York, sir," insisted 
No. 7 in a louder tone. "Well," asked the Major, "where 
is Gapt. Roemer.''" " There he is, '' replied No. 7, " by the 
left piece with his glass in his hand. " No. 7's loud tones 
attracted my attention and I looked around to see what offi- 
cer he was addressing. I recognized the Major and asked 
him, "Major, what's up.''" "What's up.''" he repeated, 
"Why, another feather in your cap, old fellow. Do you 
see Gen. Burnside up on the hill there overlooking your po- 
sition .'' He said to me when the enemy's charge was 
broken, 'Go down there and see what battery that is that 
has just done such e.\cellent service ; it must be noticed ; it 
was a God-send. Never have I seen such a deadly fire in so 
short a time.' " He then rode back to Gen. Burnside to report. 
Soon after, Capt. Benjamin, Chief of Artillery, came gal- 
l()])ing up the hill. Dismounting, he put his arm around my 



SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE. 20/ 

neck and kissed me heartily. He then said, " Roemer, it 
was a God-send that you were here. You want more artil- 
lery here." "This is the place, Chief, " I replied. He went 
off and sent me three pieces more. From this time on our 
drivers down at the creek did not have so pleasant a time as 
they had been having earlier. The rebel artillery now 
directed their fire mainly at us, and all stray shots that 
went over us the drivers got. As all the baggage-wagons, 
anibulances, etc., were stationed there, for a time, great con- 
sternation prevailed there among the drivers. Some even 
cut the traces and ran off with their horses. When Dr. 
Hogan next saw me, he said, "Whenever your Ikittery 
takes position before my operating table again, I will get 
out ' 

Capt. Benjamin came back soon after the three pieces he 
had sent me, had arrived, and asked me to go with him. I 
told him he had better leave me with the Battery, but he 
said, " No, I want you to go with me. Put your First Lieu- 
tenant in command. I want your opinion regarding the 
line on the left on the Spottsylvania, C. H. road, as there 
are some very bad places in our front." We rode along the 
whole line towards the left. As we reached one very bad 
place, I said, " I would advise the placing of a regiment of 
infantry in the rear of this particular place." Benjamin 
immediately replied, "That's just my opinion, too, Roemer. 
I wanted you opinion because you have been around here 
more than I have and are better acquainted with the coun- 
try. Now, I want to say, Roemer, that you did great exe- 
cution with your guns this afternoon. I was also told by 
Gen. Burnside that you had also wiped out the six-gun bat- 
tery at the farmhouse, and burnt the house, which alone 
was a great feat, and, furthermore, had silenced the four 
guns posted near the Court House." "Captain," said I, "I 
have some very good gunners and they are the ones I must 



2o8 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

thank for the work done to-day. You will find very few 
gunners that are the equals of my sergeants, Rossbach and 
Starkins, for accuracy of fire, and all my chiefs of pieces can 
hold their own with any others of that grade in the Ninth, 
or any other corps." "Roemer,"' he continvied, "I want to 
ask you, how many shots did you fire at the rebel line that 
attempted to charge the right of our Ninth Corps' line this 
afternoon.'" " P'ive battery fires from four guns," I replied. 
"The execution was terrible,'" he went on, "Gen. Burnside 
was amazed, and he was right behind you on the rear pro- 
longation of your line of fire. ' 

While on our way down toward the left, we called on 
Lieut Heasley, commanding the first section of the Thirty- 
Fourth New York, temporarily detached from the Battery, 
and found he had been right in front of the charge made on 
the hill. 

When I returned to my command I learned that nearly all 
our ammunition had been expended. I reported the fact to 
Gen. Willcox, and asked him to have another battery put in 
my place. Gen. Willcox immediately came to our position 
and told me not to withdraw the Battery, but to send out 
and obtain from t)ther batteries all the ammunition that was 
to be had that would fit our guns, till further orders. At 
midnight. May 12th, the Battery withdrew from the field. 
It had, during the day, fired 950 rounds. Our casualties 
were, two men wounded, three horses killed, and thirteen 
wounded. I was, myself, struck three times by spent balls, 
one of which might have proved fatal, as it struck my field- 
glass and nearly threw me out of the saddle. 

The next morning, May 13th, a general order from Gen. 
Grant was received at the Ninth Corps Headquarters. It 
referred to all the troops in the field, that had taken part in 
the battle of the previous day, the battle of Spottsylvania 
Court House, and praised the soldierly spirit and bravery 



SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE. 209 

displayed which, he said, "deserved especial mention.'' 
The Thirty-Fourth New York Battery was not forgotten in 
this order. In reference to that organization, the order read 
thus: "The Thirty-Fourth New York Independent Volun- 
teer Veteran Light Battery, has again signalized itself, as it 
has done in many former battles, but its performance of 
yesterday requires especial mention." Gen. Burnside, in 
commending the Battery, expressed the hope that the influ- 
ence of its example would be felt by all. The members of 
the Battery received particular commendation for their sol- 
dierly conduct. 



CHAPTER XII. 



NORTH ANNA RIVER. COLD HARBOR. FORT FLETCHER. BEGIN- 
NING OF THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. 

Everything- was quiet along the lines during- the two days 
following the battle of Spottsylvania Court House. The 
caissons of the Battery returned from the ammunition train 
on the 15th with 600 "Schenck" percussion shells and 70 
fuse shells. The Battery had gone into position again on the 
14th, but had no occasion to fire until the i6th, when eigh- 
teen rounds were fired. The next day everything was again 
quiet, and both men and horses enjoyed a much needed 
rest. At 5:30 A. M. on the i8th the enemy made an attack 
on our lines, which was quickly repulsed, for the Battery 
fired but twenty-five rounds. A second and severer attack 
made by the enemy in the afternoon was repulsed after 287 
rounds had been fired. The next day the Battery marched 
three miles farther to the left by sections, and I was ordered 
to give men and horses a good rest, if they should not, in 
the meantime, be called into action. Durintr the evening 
of the 22d, the Battery marched in the direction of North 
Anna River, and continued the march the next day and 
reached the ri\'er, where it encamped and threw up breast- 
works. 

Here on the 24th the Battery was called into an action 
that lasted all day, and fired 473 rounds principally at the 
rebel works on the other side of North Anna River. At 6.30 
p. M. the enemy's artillery opened fire on the Battery, but 



NORTH AXXA RIVER. COLD HARBOR. 211 

the latter silenced them after firing some thirtv rounds. The 
next day an engagement opened at 5 a. ji. and lasted until 
8 p. M. , but the Battery had occasion to fire hut thirty-seven 
rounds. The only casualties to the Battery were two 
horses wounded. The next day the Batterv receix'ed 880 
rounds of ammunition from various sources, and lired forty- 
nine while protecting Gen. Warren's Fifth Corps tluring the 
crossing of North Anna River, after having first crossed the 
river itself for that ]Hirpose. 

Orders came at 11:15 a. m. on the 27th to UKirch at once 
to the Pamunkey River, ten miles distant. 'J"he Battery 
went forward and went into camp near that ri\er at 12 p.m. 
At 4 A. M. the next day it moved nearer to the ri\er which it 
crossed at 11:30 a. m., and went into camp one mile south 
of it. ]\Ien and horses were thoroughly worn out. and l)e- 
sides the Battery was short of both rations and forage. 
Orders came on the 29th to march to Hanover Town, three 
miles distant, where during the following night it threw up 
breastworks, but soon after, it withdrew and went into a 
cornfield one mile south of the last position. The next 
day it marched three miles farther south and went into 
position with its six guns and one section of the 7th .Me. 
Battery, consisting of 12-pounder Napoleons. Here it firetl 
two rounds and then remained quiet the rest of the dav : 
five of the wounded horses died. 

On the first of June, two pieces were, by order of Gen. 
Burnside, turned over to the ordnance officer, thus making 
the Battery, one of four guns. It was now in position at 
Salem Church. Here twelve recruits joined from Hart's 
Island, New York Harbor. The Battery left Salem Church 
at 12, midnight, June ist, and after marching five miles, 
went into position with two other batteries, the Seventh 
Maine, Capt. Twitchell, and the Fourteenth Massachusetts, 
Capt. Wright, at 2 a. m. , June 2d. Our infantry were being 



2 I 2 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

very heavily pressed by the enemy, who were trying their 
best to push it back or break its line, and I gave my gun- 
ners orders to give our infantry all the support they could 
possibly give. We were near Cold Harbor. 

From the Battery's position it was not possible for me to 
observe the rebel line as I wished, but I found a place about 
fifteen yards in rear of it, on a slight elevation, whence I had 
a clear view of the whole field of operations. I was soon 
discovered in this place by the rebel sharpshooters, who 
evidently thought I was a good target, judging by the way 
their shots were directed against me. One of my men no- 
ticing the danger to which I was exposed, as also did the 
officers of the other batteries, called my attention to the 
danger, and told me to leave the hill, as I would otherwise 
become a tit subject for the undertaker, but, because I could 
find no other place that would afford me the same oppor- 
tunity for directing the fire of the three batteries, I stood 
my ground and said, " If I have to die here, I am willing to 
do so, but all you have to do is to obey my commands and 
try your best to save our infantry." Just then one of my 
men, James Cavanagh, jumped up and stood in front of me, 
trembling violently, and swaying from side to side to cover 
my person. His actions sent a thrill through me, as I 
thought of the sacrifices my men would make to preserve 
my life. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him, 
"Jimmy, what does all this you are doing, mean .'' " "And 
sure, Captain," he replied, "if you are kilt we are all lost, 
but if I am kilt you can save the boys." ''Well, Jimmy,'' 
said I, "you are a brave boy and I will never forget you." 
All this took place in just about ten seconds. 

I could now see that the enemy were being forced back ; 
that the fire of our batteries was very effective ; and that we 
still held our lines. The casualties this day were few. I 
was wounded by a bullet striking me over the right eye and 



COLD HARBOR. 213 

slightly injuring the skull, yet it was not serious enough to 
compel me to leave my men. Three horses were killed and 
four wounded. During the day the Battery fired 237 rounds. 

On the 3d of June, at i a. m., our three batteries opened 
fire from our former position, :uid at i p. m. went to a posi- 
tion about half a mile to the left from wliich we could do 
more effective work in silencing the enemy's batteries. The 
fighting was general along the whole of our lines. The cas- 
ualties in the Thirty-Fourth New York were, one man killed 
and five wounded, three horses killed and six wounded. 
The number of rounds fired was 67, leaving 726 on hand. 
In this position the batteries remained until June 6th, when 
the enemy began shelling our camp, and we were ordered 
into position on the road to Cold Harbor. During the night 
following, the men of the three batteries threw up breast- 
works under orders from headquarters, for the Fourteenth 
Massachusetts on the right, the Thirty-Fourth New York in 
the center, and the Seventh Maine on the left. The men 
worked hard all night, for, according to our instructions, 
they had to make them unusually strong. 

A very strong fort, named Fort Fletcher, was also to be 
built at a point one-half mile to our left. After laying out 
the trace of the fortifications to be occupied by the three 
batteries, I was ordered to Fort Fletcher to superintend the 
construction of that work until i a. m. of the 7th, at which 
time I was to be relieved, for I had had no sleep during the 
three preceding nights. I was not relieved, however, un- 
til 4 A. M. During the night, it was very dangerous for the 
men to go on top of the works, because one man had been 
killed there and three wounded. Finally, I ordered the men 
who were at work to come in, and told the colonel com- 
manding the infantry that I thought the work was strong 
enough for the infantry to hold easily during the following 
diiv. It had a frontas/e of between three and four hundred 



2 14 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

feet, and was four and one-half feet high, besides the ditch. 

I then returned to our own camp to see how the work was 
progressing- there, and found that all the sergeants, but one, 
Melsom, had each fully completed his part of the work. 
The men were at breakfast when I arrived. \\'hen they had 
finished I called out all the men of the Thirty-Fourth New 
York, to go ahead and help finish that part of the work. I 
then reported to Gen. Willcox that the three batteries were 
all ready for action. Early in the morning the}" opened fire, 
firing at intervals until past noon. At about 2 p. m. the 
enemy made their first charge. It was made without a pre- 
ceding artillery fire. The charging column had scarcely 
reached the middle of the field before it was broken by the 
fire of the three batteries. Just as the retreating column 
reached the woods from which it had emerged, we saw that 
thirteen pieces of artillery were being put in position, on a 
bluff, in rear of the retreating troops. They immediately 
opened a deadly fire on our three batteries ; each piece was 
fired at will, and as rapidly as possible without waiting for 
commands. Their artillery officers were evidently bound 
to silence our three batteries if they could. We were not 
long in answering this terrific tire, and deliberately shelled 
the woods in which their infantry were concealed from our 
view. 

Finally, becoming convinced that their artillery were try- 
ing to destroy ours, I thought it best to let them think they 
were doing so, and then called Capts. Wright and Twitchell 
and Lieut. Heasley together for a consultation. I told them 
what I thought the rebels were trying to do, and that it was 
best for us to encourage them a little. So far, we had suf- 
fered but little from their fire. I ordered Capt. Wright on 
the right and Capt. Twitchell on the left, to slacken fire, and 
after a few minutes to cease altogether. Five minutes later, 
I ordered Lieut. Heasley, comnuuiding the center battery 



COLD HARBOR. 21 5 

(the Thirty-Fourth New York) to cease firing;-, and the g'un- 
ners of the thiee batteries to lie low. At this stage of the 
game the infantry began to grow angry at our seemingly 
queer behavior, and were not sh)w in making sarcastic re- 
marks about the three batteries in their rear, snugly esconced 
in their strong works, and even went so far as to say, " Roe- 
mer's three batteries are going to hell this time, sure. I 
guess he's met his match this time," and made other similar 
remarks; but, "All's well that ends well." We, behind our 
works were not idle a moment. The three battery com- 
manders were taking in the whole situation and ])reparing 
for what they believed was coming, that a lierce charge was 
to be made on our lines. I gave orders that all three bat- 
teries should hre at the signal, which was to be one shot 
from the Thirty-Fourth New York, and all should aim at the 
feet of the charging column. Kvery gun was ready, loaded 
with shell. Soon the rebel yell was heard in the woods in 
our front, and this notitied us that the expected charge had 
begun. The l)attery commanders gaA'C the ortlers, "Atten- 
tion," "Ready." When the rebel column had ailvanced 
about two hundred yards from the woods, 1 gave the com- 
mand, "Fire." The fourteen guns were tired as one gun, 
and the tire was like a thunderbolt to the enemy. It stunned 
the entire column. This combineil tire by the three bat- 
teries ill unison was repeated five times. The charging col- 
umn then broke and turned their faces in the tlirection of 
the woods whence they had started. Then 1 gave the order 
"One more by battery tire at their backs, ' which fire drove 
them back faster than at a double ipiick. 

By this time our infantry supports had changed their minds 
regarding the three batteries, and now they shouted, "Three 
times three for old Roemer and the three batteries." I can 
not enumerate the many congratulations that were sent to 
us in the fort. Gen. Willc(jx came galloping into the fort. 



2l6 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

and said, " Roemer, you old rat, this is the best trick you 
have played yet." The infantry suffered the most 
from the rebel artillery fire directly in front of us during- 
this great charge upon us at Cold Harbor. Directly in 
front of our three batteries, was Col. J. F. Hartranft's bri- 
g-ade, composed of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, One Hun- 
dred and Ninth New York, and the Second, Eighth, Seven- 
teenth and Twenty-Seventh ]\Iichig-an regiments. All these 
shared in the glory of the occasion, for they all had had to 
endure the terrific rebel fire for a long- half hour. No one 
who has not had the opportunity of being with an infantry 
regiment under such circumstances, can form any idea of 
the mental suffering- endured by infantry when compelled to 
remain quiet while such an artillery fire is playing upon 
them, and they have no chance to do anything to defend 
themselves. Many times have I heard infantry officers say 
they would prefer to engage in the most desperate charge, 
than lie inert under such circumstances. It is the suspense 
that makes lying still so dreadful. The casualties in the 
Battery were this day (June 7th), five men wounded, two 
horses killed, and seven Avounded. Among the latter was 
my black charger, which was hit in the shoulder. During- 
the day the Battery fired 257 rounds.* 



*0n tlie 19th of October, 1881, 1 was in Yorktown, Ya., attending the 
centennial celebration of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to Gen. 
Waf5hington. There I met a number of officers of the Ninth Corps with 
whom 1 had a talk about the days gone by. Some one of them spoke of 
the second charge made by the rebels on our lines at Cold Harbor, and 
began to guy ma by saying, '-Y'ou let us lie in front of you and receive 
the fire of the rebel artillery while you lay behind your strong works 
and laughed at us." During the conversation, I had noticed three men 
who were standing l)y and evidently listening to our conversation re- 
garding that terrible charge. At last, one of them stepped up to us and 
said, "Gentlemen, excuse me, but we three " — pointing to the other two, 
— "were in the Confederate army at the time and took part in that 
charge on the Union lines at Cold Harbor, and you,'' he continued, ad- 



FORT FLETCHER. 21'J 

On the eighth of June the Battery was ordered to Fort 
Fletcher, which work it immediately proceeded to strengthen 
on its left flank, while firing- at intervals during the day. 
The next day some sixty rounds were fired. It was found 
that some of the enemy occupied the rear of an abrupt hill, 
a position which could be reached by mortars only, and 
these we did not have. As necessity is the mother of in- 
vention, on the I 2th of June, I tried the plan of burying the 
trail of one of my pieces in the ground, so as to give the gun 
an elevation of about forty-five degrees, in order to throw 
some percussion shell over the hill. Although we used but 
six CHUices of powder for a charge, it was too much, for our 
shells passed over them. I sent a man to a point where he 
could watch the effect of the shell, and then fired again ; still 
the shell went beyond them. The look-out man could see 
the tents and the men there encamped. The powder charge 



dressing me, " were the Captain commanding the Union artillery at that 
point. Gen. Lee had himself assured us that your artillery had been 
silenced, and that a charge would easily break the ' Yankee ' infantry 
line and capture their artillery. He, himself, led the charging line out 
of the woods, and told us we would certainly succeed. We had gone but 
two or three hundred yards when we heard the heaviest thunder-cla]> I 
ever heard in my life, while my comrades fell right and left. We went 
on until the fifth fire was poured into us, and then we could stand it no 
longer. Our line was completely broken, and we were ordered to retreat 
to the woods. While going back we picked up many of our wounded and 
carried them back with us. During our retreat another thunderbolt 
struck us before we could reach the woods. When we did, finally, reach 
the woods, Gen. Lee received us and said, ' Boys, this was a sad charge, 
and he who commanded the Yankee artillery most certainly understood 
his business, and all I wish is, that we had such artillery.' Now, Capt. 
Roemer, I wish you would grant my two comrades and myself the favor 
of taking a brotherly drink with us, so that we can tell our comrades at 
home, in South Carolina, we had the honor of taking a drink with the 
commander of the Yankee artillery who broke that charge at Cold Har- 
bor." As it was over a mile to the hotel, besides being very hot and 
dusty, I had to decline, but gave them my hand in good-fellowshi]), and 
told them that if we met again before leaving Yorktown. I would be glad 
to do them the favor thev had asked me. J. Roemer. 



2l8 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

was now reduced to five ounces, which proved to be just 
the right amount, for each shell dropped where it would be 
the most effective ; the enemy were soon shelled out of their 
comfortable quarters by this use of a rifle gun as a mortar. 

During the afternoon some prisoners were taken, and one 
of them said their officers were exceedingly surprised when 
the percussion shells began to fall into their camp, bursting 
and creating havoc generally, and wondered what kind of 
guns the d — d Yankees had that could fire percussion shells 
in that fashion. That day the Battery fired fifty-three shells 
in that way, and about twenty in the ordinary way. 

While the Battery remained in position in P\)rt Fletcher, 
Lieut. Garretson, who had joined the Battery at North Anna 
River, proved to us that he possessed all the qualities of a 
true soldier. He was, at the time, in command of the cais- 
son camp in the rear. I sent him a message to bring up 150 
rounds of ammunition to the fort, but to be ver}^ cautious 
how he acted when he should arrive at the entrance of the 
covered ditch where it intersected the line of rifle pits. We 
had learned that some of the enemy's sharpshooters had 
been placed at points that would command that intersection, 
with orders to fire on any men or ammunition wagons, es- 
pecially the latter, they might see passing through. Lieut. 
Garretson and his train came safely through into the fort, 
for the enemy's shots failetl to score. The enemy knew, 
however, that the caissons would have to return from the 
fort, and, therefore, kept up a close watch for them. \\'e 
had an inkling of their intentions, and I cautioned Lieut, (j. 
to be very particularly careful, and orderctl the men who 
accompanied him to obey his orders, strictly, when they 
reached the danger point. Just as the train was about to 
leave the covered way, Garretson gave the order, "Run, " 
and the train went on at a dead gallop. We covdd hear the 
bullets strike the ammunition chests, l)ut the train went 



FORT FLETCHER. 219 

through otherwise unharmed. There were all of five hun- 
dred ot^cers and men of the infantry collected outside of the 
fort in its rear, who were watching- the train, and thus saw 
the whole affair, and I could hear them praising Lieut. Gar- 
retson's courage. When the Lieutenant returned to the fort, 
I said to him, "Now, (kirretson, you have made a name 
for yourself. Take good care of it." This he modestly 
promised to do. 

At 8 i>. M., June 1 2th, the Battery left Fort Pdetcher and 
went to TunstaHs Station, arriving at 8 .\. m. on the 14th. 
The march was resumed at 1 1 a. ji. to the Chickahominy 
River, which was crossetl at 11 p. m., and cam]) made just 
beyond. On the 15th they marched all day toward the 
James River till sundown, when it went into camp about 
one mile from the river. At noon on the i6th it crossed the 
James over a pontoon bridge, 2,200 feet long, from Wilcox's 
Wharf to Windmill Point. The Thirty-Fourth New York 
Batterv was at the head of the crossing column, and carried 
unfurled, the beautiful silk guidon bearing the names of the 
various battles in which the Battery had taken part, which 
had been presented to it by Miss C. $. Roe, of Flushing. 
As the guidon fluttered in the breeze, the sailors manning 
the yards of the gunboats stationed on either side of the 
bridge to protect it and the men crossing it, after reading 
aloud the names of the battles — Cedar Mountain, Sulphur 
Springs, Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, 
Jackson and Knoxville — gave three cheers, " Hurrah for 
that Battery ! '" To my men and myself it was an inspira- 
tion to do and to dare. The Battery crossed in safety and 
encamped at ^McConnell's Point. At midnight the march 
was resumed and continued until 7 .\. m. of the 17th, and it 
greatly fatigued both men and horses. After resting, the 
Battery went on and reached the battlefield at 4 i'- -M-, where 
it went into position before Petersburg and fired 160 rounds. 



2 20 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

During- the afternoon it advanced three times, moving from 
five to seven hundred yards each time, and building new 
worlvs at each point attained, although it was under tire the 
whole time. Just as the enemy were about to open tire on 
our line, when the Battery had reached its last position, 
Corporal James Cornell tired two shots, one after the other, 
which blew up two of their caissons. It was a terrible time 
for them, as the two caissons contained about 300 rounds 
of ammunition. Our troops captured the enemy's works 
later in the evening-, and the next day we had an opportun- 
ity of seeing what destruction the explosion of these two 
caissons had wrought. 

During- the evening of the 1 7th of June, orders came to 
move at 7 a. m. on the i8th, with ten pieces, comprising- the 
six rifles of the Thirty-Fourth New York and four of Capt. 
Twitchell's bronze Napoleons of the Seventh Maine, through 
a piece of woods in our front, south of Cemetery Hill. 
Thirty men of the Twenty-Fourth New York Cavalry (dis- 
mounted) were detailed to assist in moving the guns by 
hand through the woods. At 12:30 p. m. on the i8th, Gen. 
Willcox rode over from headquarters to see if everything was 
ready, and to have me set my watch by his, as the Thirty- 
Fourth New York had been selected to have the honor of 
opening the battle at precisely i p. m. At this hour, the 
Thirty-Fourth New York tired the signal gun, and instantly, 
two hundred guns opened fire upon the rebel lines. As soon 
as the signal gun had been fired by the Thirty-Fourth New 
York, its pieces, one after the other, were moved by hand 
into the woods in front, and the battle, which proved to be 
one of the fiercest fought in front of Petersburg, was fairly 
opened. 

The enemy's lines were most heax'ily attacked, right, left 
and center. Shot and shell flew about like hailstones, and 
men and horses fell on all sides by the score. Right in front 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. 221 

of our ten g-uns was the City Point and Petersburg; Railroad, 
wliich had been taken by our troops in the first charge made 
that afternoon. Several attempts were made to retake it, 
but they all failed. Our ten guns behind the line of the 
First Division of the Ninth Corps, held their own bravely. 
One gun was taken down to the railroad cut, directly be- 
hind our line, and proved to be of great service in keeping 
the cut clear of the enemy, and thus facilitating the advance 
of Gen. Hancock's Corps, the Second. This cut was in front 
of Hancock's line, and was from ten to fifteen feet deep. 
The enemy hatl ])reviously used it both as a breastwork 
and as a cover in moving troops. The battle raged hot and 
heavy until night ended it. The casualties in my command 
during the afternoon were, three of the 24th N. Y. Cavalry 
killed and four wounded, and five of the 34th N. V. Battery 
wounded, besides two horses killed and six wounded. 

Early the next morning, 19th, the Battery opened fire, and 
the first shell thrown into Petersburg was fired by the 34th 
that day. Seventy-two rounds were fired. On the night of 
the 2 1st, the Battery withdrew from this position to go into 
position at the Hare House on the extreme right, and just 
south of which Fort Stedman was afterward built. The 
house was named after the proprietor of the race course. 
Here the men built breastworks that were only about four 
hundred yards from the rebel line, and hence we were in 
uncomfortably close quarters to the enemy. One-second 
fuses only could be used. Lieut. Heasley was severely 
wounded in the shoulder on the 2 2tl in these works. 

It was here that, on the night of the 2 2d, Lieut. Garret- 
son gave another exhibition of his Indomitable courage. 
About mitlway between our line and the enemy's stood a 
barn. It had nearly all been taken down to the main fioor, 
and on this floor lay about eighty bushels of corn, (jarret- 
son was still in command of the caisson and baggage camp. 



22 2 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

He came up to the breastworks at about 9 a. m. He saw 
this corn and said to me, ''Captain, I see a fine lot of corn 
over there, and 1 -would like to <^^et it for our horses. " " Well, 
all right,'" said I, "but I think any attempt to get it will be 
exceedingly dangerous. It is only two hundred yards from 
the rebel lines, and should you be seen there, a thousand 
bullets will be sent after you." He said he would go back 
to the caisson camj) and have a talk with the drivers. In 
the afternoon he paid me another visit and said all he wanted 
was my consent, as the drivers were willing to follow him, 
and everything was ready for the work. I gave my con- 
sent, but jKU'ticularly counseled him to be exceedingly cau- 
tious, for, as Lieut. Heasley was badly wounded, I could 
not afford to lose Lieut. Garretson also. 

At 9 p. M. he came up with three wagons and twelve men, 
with which he started out, at midnight, to obtain the corn. 
In less t^ian half an hour he returned from his perilous expe- 
dition, having secured all the corn in the barn. During his 
absence, the infantry, who had been informed of the mat- 
ter, as well as we of the Battery, listened breathlessly for 
the least sound, expecting every moment to hear the enemy 
open fire upon the daring men, but everything remained 
quiet, and the party returned in safety to the great relief of 
all. It was a most venturesome undertaking, and the in- 
fantry congratulated the Lieutenant most heartily for his 
bravery. Garretson said afterward that, from the moment 
they crossed the breastworks goiiig out, until they returned, 
not a word was spoken by either himself or the men, so in- 
tent were they all upon succeeding in their work. On the 
following tlay, the 2311, the Battery o]>ened fire upon some 
baggage trains coming from Richmond into Petersburg, 
and effectually stirred up the mules and their drivers. This 
o])eration was repeated the next day with marked effect. 
One of our men was wounded durinir this dav. 



CHAPTER XI 



THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. THE HARE HOUSE. 
FORT WILLCOX OR BATTERY XVI. 

The Battery remained in position near the Hare House 
until June 30th, when it returned to near its former position 
nearly south of Cemetery Hill, and occupied works thrown 
up by Capt. Durell's Battery D, Penn. Artillery. Gen. Will- 
cox inspected the works and asked me how I liked them. 
I replied that I did not like them at all ; they were too low 
and we could not fire over the mfantry with safety to 
them ; furthermore, the place was too hot and my men 
had no shelter. "I would like,"" I continued, "to build a 
fort on the hill just on our lefr. "" "Well, Captain,"" he 
responded, "what have you ag-ain in your head.' Ho^v- 
ever, if you will build a fort there, I will say, go ahead.' 
"I will,"" I said, "if 1 can get the materials." "What 
materials do you want.'' "' he asked. " General,"" I replied, 
"before I begin this work, I want to have 6,000 feet of 
timber cut and brought up."' "Ah!"" said he, "I see you 
haA^e already calculated upon bvulding this work."' " ]\Iy 
plans are ready,'" I returned, "and I only want the mate- 
rials to begin the work forthwith." Gen. Willcox turned to 
Capt. Brackett, his aide, and said, "Give Capt. Roemer an 
order to obtain whatever he wants and let him start at 
once. '" They then rode away. I then made out a requis- 
ition for twenty wagons, twenty axmen, and thirty men to 



2 24 REMIXISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

handle the timber, load it on the \vag-ons, and carry it to 
the south side of the hill. 

By the 2d of July all the timber desired was ready at the 
place selected, near the site of the proposed fort to which it 
w^as to be carried by hand as needed, and, at eight o'clock 
the same evening the work was begun and continued all 
night. Fifteen hundred men worked in reliefs of live hun- 
dred men each two hours at a time and by daylight, we had 
a ditch tive hundred feet long, six feet wide, and six deep. 
The enem}' had not as yet had any suspicion of our inten- 
tions, and during the day, the men had shelter enough 
to continue the work regardless of rebel Indlets. During 
the night of July 3d, 2,500 men were engaged in making the 
log revetment and building the traverses, and by morning the 
breastwork was four and one-half feet high, and was pro- 
nounced safe for infantry. That same night, four of the Bat- 
tery's guns were safely brought in and put in position, though 
I did not think we would have any occasion to use them at 
that time. 

The next day was the Fourth of July — the glorious Fourth. 
It was quiet all through the forenoon, but in the atternoon, 
presto ! change ! it became lively enough. The enemy 
had somehow learned of the existence of our fort, and they 
seemed to think it would be a good target for their artillery 
practice, for they l)rought up several mortars and o]iened 
fire with theni on our new earthworks. They thre\v i)lenty 
of shells but all were absolutely ineffective except one. This 
one shell, a ten-inch one, landed in the loose tlirt within the 
fort and exploded. The earth being tine anil dry, an im- 
mense cloud of dust com])letely tilled the fort. The enemy 
seeing this dust, were convinced they had destroyed the 
fort, and their works were instantly cox'cred with men eager 
to behold the destruction caused by the shell's explosion. 
They appeared very jubilant over our supposed misfortune. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. COXTIM'ED. 225 

I took this all in and taking advantag-e of the dust cloud 
which partly concealed our movements, had the four pieces 
put in position and aimed at the largest groups of men in 
view and then fired. The smoke and dust so ol)Scurcd our 
works that the enemy could not tell whence the shells had 
come. After the third rountl, we saw that the enemy's 
ramparts were clear of men ; they had disappeared as if by 
magic ; and. furthermore, they ceased annoying us for the 
rest of the day. 

A few days after the foregoing incident occurred, they 
again brought up six mortars, to shell us out of the fort. 
This action on their part rather vexed me, for I did not care 
to leave just then. Looking over the front line with my 
tield-glass, I chanced to notice that the hands of the clock 
in the tower of the Court House in Petersburg, indicated the 
hour of 2:10. I told C'orjioral Rierson to aim his gun at 
the dial and ]Hit a hole through it to show the rebels we could 
shoot when necessary. The gun was aimed and tired. I 
followed the course of the shell with my glass and saw it 
strike the larger hand and bore a hole through the tower. 
A second shot, a good line one, struck just under the center 
of the dial, while a third struck the edge of it. These shells 
were tired directly over the mortar battery and went a dis- 
tance of two and one-fourth miles. After our third shot the 
mortar battery ceased hring, and as they then left us alone, 
we treated them in the same friendly way, at least for the 
time. 

W'e had occupied this fort, wliich Avas called Fort W'illcox 
for about ten days, when (Jen. W'illcox and staff came to 
inspect. He told me that the Battery had a right to go to 
the rear and rest for ten tlays. but I replied to this that it 
would as soon stay in the fort. "Well," he rc])lied in turn, 
"that is at your option." I decided to stay in the fort. He 
then said he himself preferred to have us stay in the fort, 



2 26 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

and, furthermore, that the Pennsylvania engineers, who 
were about to mine the rebel works in front of Cemetery 
Hill would rather have the 34th N. Y. in the fort than any 
■other battery, while they were at work. 

Our fort soon became a famous resort for sightseers All 
who came from City Point and wished to get the best view 
of both Union and rebel lines were directed to go to Roe- 
mer's Battery in Fort Willcox, because it was the best place, 
on account of its elevation, from which to view the lines. 
The Battery boys soon learned to know when any people 
connected with the Sanitary Commission visited the fort, 
and were always prepared to present them with relics of our 
engagements and thus gain their good will. One day, a 
Mrs. Kimball, the head of the Ladies' Sanitary Commission, 
accompanied by a host of ladies, visited the fort, and the 
boys presented souvenirs to them all, and this action on the 
part of the Battery boys, had a very good effect, for, after 
that, none of them ever came to the fort without l)ringing 
something for the boys, which the government did not fur- 
nish, such as onions, potatoes, cabbages, sauerkraut, canned 
chicken, and all kinds of canned fruit. All of these articles 
were of great benefit by preventing the appearance of scurvy. 
The oliticers, too, were, at times, the recipients of these 
favors. 

While the Battery was occupying this work, I was wounded 
by a bullet in the left leg just below the knee, and, in con- 
sequence of my not taking proper care of it, the wound be- 
came so irritated that Dr. McDonald, Medical Director of the 
Ninth Corps, forbade me to put on a boot, or to use my leg 
in any way until the inflammation had been reduced. A 
day or two after, some of the Battery boys brought me an 
antique chair, which I found to be very comfortable. I 
asked no (juestions as to wh(>re they had obtained it, for I 
had trood reason to believe I would not have found out if 1 



FORT WILLCOX. 2 2/ 

had. A few days after, we had another visit from Mrs. 
Kimball, who expressed great sympathy for me in my mis- 
fortune, yet took a great fancy to my anticjue chair. I then 
thout^ht that something might be gained throuofh it. She 
soon left the fort by the covered way, and then I sent it to 
her by one of my men. who was told to ask her to accept it 
with my compliments. The ladies were about to get into 
their ambulance when the chair was presented. IMrs. Kim- 
ball stoutly refused, at first, to accept it, saying the captain 
needed it, but when my messenger told her he dared not 
take it back, she accepted it. After that, nothing that the 
Sanitary Commission had to give, ^\'as too good for the boys 
in Fort Willcox. 

P'ort Willcox was named after our beloved Commander of 
the Third Division of the Ninth Corps, Brig. -Gen. Orlando 
B. Willcox. Soon after it had been so named, an order was 
received which directed that no fort should be named after 
a living commander, but Fort Willcox it had been named, 
and Fort Willcox it continued to be called, despite that order 
so far as the members of the 34th X. Y. Battery were con- 
cerned. Officially it was known as Battery XVI. 

The Battery had now been in the fort for three weeks, and 
the enemy had been very persistent and still continued to be 
so, in their efforts to drive us out or to make it a mighty 
micomfortable place for us to stay in. They sent their 
mortar shells and l)ullets int(.) it night and tlay. On one 
occasion the boys undertook to count the number of bullets 
received in the fort in a single half hour, and their count 
was nearly fifty. 

Thus far, we had suffered Init few casualties, but it was 
felt by all that something had to be done to counteract their 
deadly fire. Unh)rtunately, the fort was too low to look 
over Cemetery Hill behind the rebel lines. We could see 
the roofs of some of the houses in Petersburir, besides the 



2 28 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

spires of the churches and the tower of the Court House, 
but they were all we coukl see. On looking around to learn 
how we could obtain a better view of the city's interior, I 
took note of a pine tree standing to the rear and left of the 
fort, that seemed to be about thirty-five feet high. I called 
Lieut. Garretson to consult with him concerning the rebels' 
terrific fire. "Captain," said he, "I don't see ln)W we can 
possibly stop those d — d rebels.'' Pointing to the tree, I 
asked him. "Lieutenant, will you climb that tree and give 
me, by signals, the proper direction and elevation for send- 
ing our shells into the most thickly populated and most im- 
portant residential portion of Petersburg.'" He consented 
to do so. I must here note that Col. J. F. Hartranft, com- 
manding the First Brigade of the Third Division, Ninth Corps, 
had his headquarters just under this tree in a large Sibley 
tent covered with a fly. Lieut. Garretson climbed up in rear 
of this tent till he reached the body of the tree, and then 
quickly climbed to the top of the tree, whence he communi- 
cated with me by certain prearranged signals, which enabled 
me to establish an effective line of fire for each gun. 

Each of the gun sergeants had a book in which he recorded 
every shot sent from his piece, giving the distance and ele- 
vation of every one, and also the effect produced by the ex- 
plosion of the shells in the streets of the city, which record 
would be of great service in the future. We had success- 
fully laid down the lines of three guns, and had nearly com- 
pleted those of the fourth, when the rebels, whese attention 
had been attracted to us because of our fire upon the city, 
discovered the Lieutenant in the tree. They then set to 
work to drive him out First, they used globe rifle bullets, 
which Lieut. (Garretson did not seem to mind in the least. 
Then they tried a Whitworth rifle, which was, at the time, 
for accuracy of fire, the best niade. They fired four shots 
before thev obtained the right raui^e and elevation, but the 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 2 29 

fifth crashed throug-h the crown of the tree. Then Lieut. G. 
thouLjht it was time to go, and " not stand on the order of 
his g'oing, " for the next shot inight come nearer than would 
be consistent with safety. In his haste and excitement, he 
missed his hokl — not being a cat or a squirrel — and came 
down more quickly than Davy Crockett's coon. 

The Lieutenant fell right on top of Col. Hartranft's tent, 
tore a hole through, and after landing on a pile of picks and 
spades, rolled over on the floor, upsetting, in the operation, 
the Colonel's table and scattering books, papers, pens, and 
inkstands promiscuously around. The Colonel was natur- 
ally startled, thinking a shell had struck the tent, but he in- 
stantly recovered himself when he saw Garretson sprawling 
on the floor, and then called out, " For God's sake, Lieuten- 
ant, where the d — 1 did you come from ? '' and assisted him 
to his feet. "Are you much hurt.?" he immediately asked. 
" I ain't killed. General," Garretson responded in his humor- 
ous way, "but I feel mighty stiff and sore." "But where 
in thunder have you been.''" the Colonel inquired. "Why," 
Garretson replied, " I have been up in the crown of this tree 
giving signals to Captain Roemer, so as to get good and ac- 
curate lines of fire for our guns on Petersburg, and thus rout 
the rebels out." " Well ! Well ! " said Hartranft, "That ac- 
counts for the shells I have heard passing over my tent for 
the last half hour. Your Battery is everlastingly up to some 
trick on the Johnnies.'' 

During its occupation of Fort Willcox, the Battery had, 
up to the 1 6th of July, fired 470 rounds, most of which had 
been sent into Petersburg. 

The buildings, seven in number, on the Griftith estate 
(soon destined to become famous as the ground on which 
the battle of the Petersburg Crater was fought), were in our 
immetliate front, and just in front, and a little to the left, of 
a rebel fort on Cemetery Hill, known to the Confederates as 



230 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMEK. 

Elliott's Salient, or Pegram's Salient. These buildings ranged 
from southeast to northwest, and were somewhat lower than 
the rebel line, the southeast one being at the lowest point. 
The rebels had a habit of sending their sharpshooters into 
these buildings every day. These sharpshooters would 
raise the shingles slightly, thus making small loop-holes 
through which they watched our lines, and, as opportunity 
offered, fired at our men as they passed along, ignorant of 
the danger to which they were exposed. Many Union sol- 
diers had been thus killed or wounded. We, of the 34th, in 
Fort Willcox, could do n.othing to stop this murderous fire, 
in fact, not a man in the fort could raise his fingers above 
the parapet without having a sharpshooter's bullet strike 
him. These sharpshooters trained their riifes on their tar- 
gets by placing them on two forked sticks, and so accurately 
that their bullets would sweep the top of the fort's parapet 
even at night, thus making it as impossible to do any work 
by night as it was by day. Every day from ten to twenty 
casualties would occur among the infantry. Gen. Willcox 
told me it amounted to a severe battle every day. I told 
him, in reply, that I had fired shot and shell into those houses, 
but had found that as fast as I drove them out of one they 
would go into another. "Well, Captain," said he, " I wish 
you could do something to stop this terrible fire" This set 
me to thinking, and I studied the matter over for a day or 
two, and, finally, after examining a percussion shell and 
finding, upon removing the ]ilunger, it contained a space 
large enough to hold a fire-ball, I concluded to try these, if 
I could find material for making the fire-balls. 

I called Lieut, (iarretson and said to him, "Lieutenant, 
this Battery has got to burn those buildings." In his em- 
phatic way he replied, " By God, Captain, we can't do it." 
However, 1 was determined to accom])lish this feat, if it 
were possible. 1 sent the Lieutenant toCicn. Willcox's head- 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 23 1 

quarters to obtain, if possible, five articles — meal powder, 
rosin, turpentine, sulphur, and tow — but all he could obtain 
was turpentine The peculiarity of my requisition brought 
Gen. Willcox to the fort to inquire for what purpose the arti- 
cles were wanted. I very respectfully declined to answer, 
saying, that if I succeeded in my plans it would be all right, 
but if I did not, I did not want to be laughed at. At this 
Gen. Willcox laughed and said. "I knew you had something 
in your head again. I will see if those articles can be ob- 
tained ; if so, you shall have them." In the evening word 
came from headquarters that they could not be obtained ; 
all departments had been searched in vain. 

Then, as "necessity is the mother of invention," we were 
compelled to do the best we could under the circumstances. 
I found a cartridge bag filled with fuse clippings, which, when 
pealed, made very good meal powder. On searching the 
battery wagon some sulphur was found. I sent Lieut. Gar- 
retson with two men into the ]iine woods, near by, to gather 
all the pine knots they could find. These articles and some 
tar taken from a limber chest, provided all the ingredients 
needed for our fire-balls. For two days there was "no ad- 
mission" to our tents. It was emphatically a " secret ser- 
vice " in which we were engaged. 

After two days' experimenting we concluded to test the 
result of our experiments by the effect that would be pro- 
duced by the compound on hard wood Our composition 
proved to be excellent, for it burned a hole through the 
wood, while water had no perceptible effect when we tried 
to extinguish the fire. The mixture seemed to be just the 
thing we wanted Taking the projier cjuantity for each we 
found we had enough of the composition to load thirteen 
percussion shells, which were ready for use by the evening 
of the second day of our exjieriments. Now, we had to 
wait only for a southeasterly wind to try our experimental 



232 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

shell on the lower building-s first, as the ground sloped very- 
much to the southeast. Three days later the southeast wind 
came, July 21st. Lieuts. Garretson and Johnston had their 
four guns loaded with the fire shells, while the extra guns 
were kept ready for use in keeping the enemy from putting 
out the fire when it was once started. At 8 a. m., July 21st, 
the first fire shell was fired. The aim was good and the 
shell exploded within the building. The second and third 
exploded in the same manner. Turning to Lieut. Garretson, 
I remarked, "The shells have gone, but have not produced 
the effect I desired, for they have reached no material that 
will ignite." The fourth shell was fired. It struck the roof 
and burst ; soon after flames leaped up. I now directed 
Garretson and Johnston to open fire with all four guns, firing 
one after the other with ordinary percussion shell. I did 
not want to have the fire put out, and this was my mild way 
of keeping the enemy from attempting to do so. Soon the 
fire was blazing briskly, and was clearly visible to every one 
on our entire line. When the infantry in our front under- 
stood fully what we were about, and saw now what damage 
had been done, burst into loud cheers along the whole line 
from the Appomattox River to Fort " Hell." 

This terminated the existence of the Griftith buildings, for 
every one was burned to the ground. Only a few fence 
posts could be seen sticking out of the ground near where 
they had stood. As the buildings succumbed to the flames, 
one after the other, there was great rejoicing among the in- 
fantry who had been the principal sufferers from the fire of the 
sharpshooters who had found in the buildings a safe cover. 

Nine of the thirteen fire shells were left, and as I did not 
want to waste them, I determined to try them on some other 
buildings within reach of the guns. In Petersburg and to 
our left, there stood a large mansion about two miles dis- 
tant, and I concluded to try to burn this also. In the after- 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 233 

noon of the same day, July 21st, after a few trials with ordi- 
nary percussion shells, the gunners succeeded to their satis- 
faction in obtaining the exact distance and proper elevation. 
A lire shell was now thrown at the building, which had a 
row of large Grecian columns in its front. Several of the 
ordinary percussion shells fired previously, had gone en- 
tirely through the building, but the fire shell, for some un- 
explained reason, failed to take the grooves of the gun, and, 
consequently, fell about one hundred yards short of the 
house, and there exploded. We saw some of the enemy run 
out to where the burning fire-ball lay and poke at it with 
their ramrods, but a percussion shell Avas dropped among 
them and they scattered in a very lively manner. 

It was now night and I thought it best to wait until morn- 
ing, and then complete the job of burning the house. Im- 
agine our surprise in the morning, when, on looking for it, 
we found it had disappeared, and that not even the founda- 
tion of it was visible. It was reported tliat it had been torn 
down by the order of Gen. Lee, and that the timbers had 
been used in some fortifications the enemy were building 
near by. The next morning some of the Battery boys met 
some of the rebels at the brook, and the latter said that Gen. 
Lee had said if they didn't tear it down themselves it would 
share the fate of the Griffith buildings at the hands of that 
New York Battery. All news of this kind spread rapidly 
among our men. The remaining eight fire shells were thrown 
that same day tt) the left into Petersburg, among the facto- 
ries, and did a great deal of damage there.* 

*ln .luly, I88(), just twenty-two years afterward, George C. Strong Post, 
No. 534, Dei)artment New York, G. A. R., of Brooklyn, visited Richmond, 
Va., as the guests of Phil Kearny Post, No. 10, Dejiartment Va., G. A. R., 
and Robert E. Lee Camp of Confederate Veterans. Lieut. Garretson, his 
brother, Charles H. Garretson, and myself, accompanied Strong Post as 
guests of that organization. The whole ])arty numbered about one hun- 
dred. The two Richmond organizations met our party at Dutch Gap on 



2 34 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

During the forenoon of July 22d, the day after we had de- 
stroyed the Griffith buildings, I received an order to report 
at once, in person, at the headquarters of the Third Divis- 
ion, Ninth Corps, (ien. Willcox met me just outside of his 
tent and said, "Captain, I have sent for you to introduce 
you to some gentlemen." Taking me by the arm he escort- 
ed me into his tent, and said to those assembled there, 
" Gentlemen, here is my Chief of Artillery, Captain Roemer, 
who, yesterday, performed such valuable services for the 
Ninth Corps by burning the Gritfith buildings.'" Among 
those present were Generals Hancock, Parke, Potter, Fer- 
rero, Col. Hartranft, and others whose names I can not now 
recall. Gen. Willcox made some very flattering remarks 
about the Battery and its past services, whereupon General 
Hancock said, " I remember Capt Roemer's services at 
Spottsylvania Court House on the 12th of May. He did a 
splendid piece of work there. I was told by Gen. Burnside 
that he selected his own position that afternoon on the left 
of my Corps."' 



the James River, and Lee Camji honored us by jiinnint^ boncjuets to ilie 
lapels of our coats. On arriving at the dock in Richmond, both organi- 
zations escorted our party to our hotel, and there entertained us most 
handsomely. Afterward they took us in carriages to all points of inter- 
est in and around Richmond. One of these points was the Confederate 
Soldiers' Home, an institution supported by voluntary contributions- 
Here we had a joyous time, and our friends of both the Blue and the 
Gray, worked together in harmony and good fellowshii) to bring about 
this hap[)y result. 

While conversing with one of the Confederate veterans, he referred 
to the fire shells thrown by the 84th New York Battery, and said they 
did more to alarm the people of Petersburg than all the other shells that 
entered the city, and he remarked, furthermore, that if the Battery had 
continued firing such shells, they would have destroyed the entire city 
of Petersburg. During our return journey from Richmond our party 
made up a purse of .$100, which, after our arrival in New York, was sent 
to the ("onfederate Soldiers' Home in Richmond, as a remembrance of 
our gratitude for the kindness shown us during our visit. .Iac. Roemer. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 235 

A general conversation followed, during which Gen. Will- 
cox asked me, " Roemer, at what military school were you 
educated?'" I replied, "1 was two days at West Point in 
1840, General. In fact, I have scarcely had what is gener- 
ally termed a common school education." "Never say that 
again, Captain," said Gen. Willcox, "You have a regular 
United States Battery, both on your right and on your left, 
and they have never done what yours has, and yet both are 
commanded by graduates of West Point." I thanked the 
general for his very flattering remarks, whereupon he said, 
"It is no flattery, Captain, the praise belongs to you and 
your Battery." 

By July 23d, the enemy had established a battery of 32- 
pounders on Cemetery Hill, on our right, thinking, no doubt, 
they would certainly drive the 34th out of its fort. This day 
they commenced to bombard us with shells from this bat- 
tery, and kept up their lire on our position the whole day. 
One shell entered the port hole on the left and struck the top 
of the magazine containing all our ammunition, but, fortu- 
nately, did not explode or do any damage to the fort, or 
anything within it. The magazine's damage was soon re- 
paired, and the magazine was strengthened by placing some 
two hundred sandbags about it. 

The next day, the 24th, they opened lire again upon the 
fort, and instantly we began tiring on Petersburg with per- 
cussion shell from all four guns, along the lines of fire re- 
cently established. Their lire continued for about half an 
hour and then ceased, and then we stopped. W^e learned 
afterward that they had received word from Petersburg that 
our fire was greatly damaging the city. We now felt con- 
vinced that we could "hold the fort." Before this it had 
looked as if they had made up their minds to charge and 
take the fort by storm. 

During these days the men were busily engaged, when 



236 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

not working the guns, in building a new magazine in the 
fort and strengthening the parapets and bomb-proofs, that 
the latter might afford better protection to both officers and 
men, when not engaged with the guns. The bomb-proofs 
were underneath the traverses. For the benefit of those who 
may not clearly understand the matter, I will say, that tra- 
verses are works or embankments erected between the guns 
at right angles to the parapets or ramparts, to protect the 
cannoneers from any cross or fiank fire of the enemy. In 
Fort Willcox, they were from ten to fifteen feet long, eight 
to ten feet thick, and about seven feet high. The bomb- 
proofs were under these and below the level of the ground 
of the fort, and, were, in fact, small rooms with very stout 
walls and roofs supported by logs. I always considered 
substantial traverses to be most important parts of a fort, 
and, therefore, had them constructed in every fort we ever 
held for any length of time. 

Furthermore, a very strong parapet or rampart was con- 
structed directly in rear of the fort. This was seven feet 
high and six feet thick, and behind it were constructed sleep- 
ing apartments for the men not on guard at night, who were 
thus well protected from the enemy's solid shot or shell. 

On the 25th, I was ordered to take Capt. Twitchell's Sev- 
enth Maine Battery of four guns, and place the two sections, 
one on my right flank and the other on my left, to protect 
the flanks in case of necessity. Pearly the same day it was 
reported that the enemy were constructing a new earthwork 
on our left, about where the mansion previously mentioned, 
had stood, and was of considerable size and strength. On 
looking in that direction we saw several Innidred men at 
work on it. Gen. Willcox and staff came into the fort at 10 
A. M. The general immediately dismounted and went to 
the parapet to look over it at the enemy's lines. 1 at once 
warned him, not for his life, to raise his head above the par- 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 237 

apet, and then said, if he wished to obtain a clear view of 
the enemy's lines, he should go with me through the covered 
way in the rear of the fort and across to the woods in front, 
and to the left of Uurell's Pennsylvania Battery, where he 
could obtain the best view to be had. Accompanied by an 
orderly we went to that place, which was about three-quar- 
ters of a mile distant. Here we obtained a fine view of the 
enemy's works, and especially of the nearly completed work 
mentioned above. 

Gen. Willcox then asked me to go over to Durell's Battery 
and have it open fire directly upon this new work. Durell 
fired ten rounds, but not a shot entered the enemy's new 
earthwork. After the tenth round, some of the rebels came 
boldly out of their works, and, turning their backs to the 

battery, slapped their in derisive and insulting salute. 

Then the General trave the order, "Cease firin"-, " and then 
asked me to send my orderly to our fort and have a few 
shots fired from the guns of the 34th. In reply, I said if he 
wanted guns fired from our fort, I would prefer to go my- 
self instead of sending the orderly, as I deemed it most im- 
portant for both my command and myself, that I should be 
with the Battery under such circumstances, and also said 
that if he would consent to this, I would leaA^e my orderly 
with him and return myself as soon as the shots had been 
fired. He assented to this, and I immediately returned to 
the fort. 

Arriving there, I told the officers and men about the tiring 
done by Durell's battery, and, at the same time, expressed 
my sorrow for the mistake that battery had made. I then 
said to them, "I want you to fire two shells that shall ex- 
plode in the enemy's new work, and thus show Gen. Will- 
cox that you have not forgotten how to aim a piece of artil- 
lery at the right point." When everything was ready, the 
elevation having been determined with exactness, and the 



238 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

fuses properly cut, I gave the commands, " No. i, tire," 
"No. 2, fire.'' No commotion arose in the enemy's works 
after the first shot, but after the second had exploded at al- 
most the same spot the lirst had, it seemed as if an earth- 
quake had occurred within the rebel fort, for at least two 
hundred men jumped up on top of their works and ran as 
for their lives. 

The work was well done, and I complimented the can- 
noneers highly. I then returned to where I had left (ien. 
Willcox. He greeted me with, "Well done. Captain. Tell 
Durell not to fire another shot without permission from your- 
self, for 1 call such shooting as his battery did, an absolute 
waste of ammunition. Your two shots were worth fifty of his. " 

This same day some of our friends of the Sanitary Com- 
mission, both hidies and gentlemen, came to the fort in the 
afternoon to pay us a visit, and to obtain a good view of the 
opposing lines. One of them, Mrs. Kimball, whom I have 
mentioned before, greatly desired to fire one of the guns. 
Just at that moment I saw a wagon train coming out of 
Petersburg and heading for a fort the Union soldiers had 
christened "Fort Damnation."* I directed a sergeant to 
sight a gun on this train, then, handing the lanyard to Mrs. 
Kimball, told her to keep it slack and pull steadily without 
a jerk, when 1 gave the order to fire. I then gave the order, 
"Fire," whereupon she pulled like a veteran gunner. As 
the shell sped on its way she ran to the breastwork to wit- 
ness its effect. The shell did its work. We saw two of the 
drivers running away and leaving their mules to take care 
of themselves. Then one of the gentlemen wished to fire a 
gun. The piece was prejiared, the lanyard was placed in 

*Tlns fort was ofticially known as Fort Mahoiie, while the Union fort 
opposite it and j^enerally called "Fort Hell," was officially known as 
Fort Sedfjwick, and was so named in honor of Gen. John Sedgwick, who 
was killed at Spottsylvania Court House, May 8, 1864, while in command 
of the Sixth Corps. Kditou. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 239. 

his hand, and the order to tire was given. He shut his eyes 
and pulled, but the gun did n(jt respond. 1 think he only 
shut his eyes and was afraid to pull with sutttcient strength. 

We, of the 34th New York, had now brought the enemy 
in our imnieiliate front into subjection, and they were be- 
ginning to behaA'e themselves better. Still, e\'ery now and 
then, they would open tire upon us, just to let us knt)W, ap- 
parently, that they were still there and alive. They would 
do this whenever a party of officers came to the fort, or any 
particular demonstration was made in or about the fort. 

An instance of this occurred a few days after the visit of 
the Sanitary people, when Gen Willcox and his staff also 
paid us a visit. They came into the fort by the covered way, 
and the rebels chanced to see them just as they were enter- 
ing the fort, and immediately opened tire on the fort in right 
good earnest. I saw at once Gen. Willcox was greatly vexed. 
I then saluted him. He returned my salute and said, "Why 
don't you stop that tiring ? '' " Do you want me to stop it .''"' 
I asked. " Yes, " he replietl, "stop it." I then called to the 
cannoneers of guns Nos. i and 3, whose lines of tire were 
directed on Petersburg. "No. i, ready, tire; "No. 3, 
ready, fire;"' "No. i, again, ready, tire.' Then Gen. Will- 
cox remarked, "Captain, you have not hit the enemy's 
works." "I know I diiln't, " I responded, "and I don't in- 
tend to do so." Again I ordered Nos. i and 3 to tire. By 
this time the enemy had become silent, and we ceased tiring 
also. I then saluted (ien. Willcox and said, "This is the 
way we silence the enemy's batterie= in our front." " But, 
Captain," he repeated, "with all your shots you have not 
struck the enemy's works even once." Greatly enjoying his 
mystification, I replied, "No, but all of them went directly 
over the enemy's lines into Petersburg ; three of them ex- 
ploded in buildings, and two in the streets. This can be 
veritied by my officers and men. .Since you entered the 



240 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

fort the enemy have fired twenty-five shots. They would 
keep that up all day long, but they well know we have the 
upper hand of them and can stop them at any time. " ' ' How 
is that, Captain ? " the General asked. I then related to him 
the story of Lieut. Garretson's mishap, and how it came 
about, and also the reason why I said we had obtained an 
advantag-e of the rebel batteries. At this he laughed heart- 
ily, and said, "Now, I recall the story Col. Hartranft told 
me the other day about Garretson tumbling through his tent 
so very unceremoniously. That action on the part of both 
you and your lieutenant is most praiseworthy." Soon after 
he and his staff left the fort. 

On the morning of the 26th, the day following the disaster 
to the new rebel fort and the wagon, when the "Yanks" 
and the " johnnies" met at the creek and talked the matter 
over, the rebels used very forcible language in expressing 
their opinions, as is shown in an article published in the 
New York Herald, at the time, headed : 

" ROEMEK S BATTERY, NINTH CORPS." 

"At last accounts all was well with the Flushing Battery 
in front of Petersburg. Among the most distinguished artil- 
lerists in the army is Captain Roemer, commanding the vet- 
eran 34th New York Battery, of the Ninth Corps. We liave 
rather a good thing about him in cam]> just now. The Cap- 
tain, as all his friends know — and their name is legion — is 
possessed of a set of heavy tlowing whiskers, rather ruddy 
in color. His battery is farthest to the front, where, from 
its commanding position, as well as from the excellent skill 
and marksmanship of his gunners, it proves most annoying 
to the enemy. In vain they endeavor to drive him out. 
He returns shot for shot, and with such accuracy that the 
rebels are compelled to desist. His reputation is as well 
established in the rebel lines as in our own, and the rebel 
pickets are very curious about him and liis battery. The 
other day one of them called out, ' Where the devil did that 
red-whiskered battery come from ? ' " 



CHAPTER XIV. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG CONTIXUED. BATTLE OF THE PETERSBrRG 

CRATER. 

The position of Fort Willcox, or Batter)'- XVI, was one of 
the most important ones on the whole line fronting- Peters- 
burg-. "Fort Hell," the fort nearest the rebel lines, was 
about two miles distant to our left. Within the fort every- 
thing was lively, night and tlay. The enemy had a habit 
of saluting the fort at all times with bullets, and shell from 
l)oth cannon and mortars, and there was not a day during- 
the month of July, from the fourth, the day the Battery's 
four guns were tirst placed in position in it, until the thir- 
tieth, that the enemy did not tire into it from the front, and 
both right and left flanks. It really seemed as if they all 
wanted to have a hack at the 34th New York. It was our 
good fortune to stand all this fire without suffering any seri- 
ous casualties. Whenever they sent us their compliments 
in cold iron, we tried to be as polite as possible, and re- 
turned them as promptly and forcibly as we could. Then 
they thought it right to reply to our answer, and to this we 
responded in turn, and thus the salutations continued to be 
exchanged. Whenever they acknowledg-ed our replies by 
ceasing to tire, we laid aside the sponge and rammer, but 
not before. We were bound to have the last word. 

In this connection, I must relate another of Lieut. Garret- 
son's experiences. One night, the date I can not recall, the 



242 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMEK. 

enemy opened fire on the fort at 12:30 a. m. , and kept it up 
for about two hours. They repeated this action on each of 
the two succeeding- nights. The fourth night the question 
arose, " Wliat will they do to-night ? " All wondered if they 
would let us have one night's sleep out of four. I told Lieut. 
Garretson to get all the sleep he could this night, as he had 
had none for the past three nights, and that 1 would take 
his place. I also told him I would notify him if the rebels 
disturbed us too much. In answer, he said. " Vou know 
what Dr. McDonald told you to-day." (I had been badly 
wounded July 9th), " about doing more than you ought to." 
"That is all right," I replied, "but three nights" vigil is 
enough for any one. Now go and do as I say, ami I will 
take charge of your guns for the night." 

Garretson then called Sergeant John Starkins and toldliim, 
^' I will lie down on the platform alongside your gun, and, 
if any disturbance arises, call me and don't let the Captain 
come out.'' He then lay down on the gun platform, just a 
little in rear of the muzzle of the piece, so that the gun could 
"be discharged with safety to himself, and was soon fast 
asleep. Shortly after. Sergeant Starkins turned over the 
•command to the gun-corporal. A little after midnight the 
enemy's batteries opened fire. The sentry at Post No. i 
called out, "Corporal of the guard. Post No. i. Is the 
Lieutenant asleep ? " We soon found that he was, and so I 
would not allow him to be disturbed. I got my crutches 
and told the corporal I would go with him. I then called 
for Sergeant Starkins, but he was not about. TIumi the jiiece 
M'as made ready and fired. just as it recoiled, Sergeant 
Starkins crawled out from untler the gun carriage : the tiis- 
charg-e of the gun had evidently waked him up. The gun 
was reloaded, after the cannoneers had been cautioned to 
avoid stepping on Lieut, (jarretson, as it was very dark. 
Three rounds were fired bv this <run, vet the Lieutenant 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 243 

slept on oblivious of everything. He had been completely 
exhausted by his previous three nights' work. 

The next morning the duty of makmg out the morning re- 
port of the preceding twenty-four hours' occurrences, fell to 
him. In this report, he had to record the number of shots 
fired, as well as all general notes. With his blank before 
him, and before he began to write, he said, "I thank God, 
Captain, that we have to report that no shots were fired dur- 
ing the night by our battery. '" In reply, I said, "We iired 
three shots, between 12 and i last night." He started ami 
said, "Captain, you must be mistaken." I repeated my 
statement. "You don't mean to say," he answered, " you 
fired three shots without their being heard by me, sleeping 
as I did on the phitform .' " ]My story was corroborated by 
the statements of the sergeant, corporal, and cannoneers 
who had charge of the piece, and did the firing, but even 
then he could not be made to comprehend how it could hap- 
pen. He put it down on the report that three rounds had 
been fired by the battery, but in his mind he doubted it. 

To water the horses, they had to be led art)und to a ])()int 
where the enemy had a direct range upon them as they 
passed in column, and, therefore, early in July, it was de- 
cided to dig a well. A site for it was selected on a slope 
running southwest and northeast, where, it was thought, 
plenty of water would ^ureh^ be obtained. The necessary 
tools, spades, pickaxes, windlass, buckets, ropes, etc. , were 
procured, and the men began to dig. They went tlown 
forty-seven feet, through stiff clay, and struck real creek 
mud. They dug througli this seven feet, and in it were 
found many fine scallop shells, some of which I still possess. 

The well was now fifty-four feet deep, but, as neither 
water nor any signs of water were found, aiul, furthermore, 
as it had become dangerous for the men to continue digging 
without blocking, it was given up. 



244 REMINISCENCES OK MAJOR ROEMER. 

Somebody told us that if we should take a peach-tree 
crotch, with the green leaves left upon it, keep it balanced 
in both hands, with the ends of the crotch pointing- front, 
and give it a chance to work, it would point to water. Hav- 
ing procured the peach-tree twig, I went southwest from the 
well already dug. The ground over which I walked sloped 
upward at an angle of about forty degrees. I kept on my 
course until I had gone ninety paces, when I noticed some 
change in the position of the peach twig which now began 
to sway. I marked this spot and went on farther, but the 
limb remained quiet. I then retraced my steps, and when 
I reached the marked spot, the peach limb was affected as 
before, and there it was decided to dig. 

The men all had something to say about the peach limb, 
but as they knew we must have water near b3^ if we did 
not want the horses to be targets for the enemy every time 
they went to water, they went to work with a will. After 
digging several feet, they came to a quicksand, and then it 
was predicted they would strike water within the next eight 
feet. After digging only six feet deeper, or ten feet in all, 
water make its appearance. After going a foot deeper the 
flow of water became so great that the men could not use 
their shovels. I then sent some men for buckets. To hurry 
up the matter, I told the men who were in the hole digging, 
I would give them a bottle of the best whiskey to be had, 
if, in thirty minutes by my \vatch, they would deepen the 
hole by another two feet. 

As soon as the men arrived with the buckets, I set them 
to work bailing out the well, but, although the buckets fairly 
flew up and down, there remained constantly a depth of four 
feet of water of splendid quality. The toj) of the well was 
then covered with logs, except the central part, in which was 
placed a cracker box, minus its top and bottom boards. Two 
pine logs, each twenty-two feet long, and two-and-one-half 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 245 

feet in diameter, were obtained and hollowed out into splen- 
did watering- troughs, at which all the horses could be wa- 
tered at the same time, and with safety from the enemy's fire. 

The large fort in the enemy's lines, near Cemetery Hill, 
was about the most prominent one on their front from the 
Appomattox River to Fort ^Nlahone, and was directly oppo- 
site Forts Willcox and Morton, in our lines. The distance 
between our lines and the enemy's, at this point, was about 
one thousand yards. In front of Fort Willcox, was a deep 
ravine running for a little distance, nearly east and west, but 
just beyond Fort Willcox, on the right, it turned sharply to 
the northeast, and thus gave the enemy an advantage over 
our troops. 

The enemy's fort at the end of the ravine had an elevation 
of thirty or forty feet. Lieut-Col. Henry Pleasants, of the 
48th Pennsylvaiiia Volunteers, which regiment had been re- 
cruited among the miners of the upper Schuylkill coal re- 
gions, obtained permission to run a mine under the above 
mentioned fort, and began the work on June 25th. A care- 
fully conducted preliminary survey had shown him that he 
would have to dig a tunnel 510 feet long to place the mine 
directly under the fort, and thirty feet below it. The whole 
of the earth taken from the mine was brought out in cracker 
boxes. It took from the 25th of June to the 23d of July to 
complete the work, and everything was done quietly and 
with the utmost secrecy. All officers who knew of it, were 
cautioned to observe absolute silence regarding it. 

At 9 p. M. , July 29th, orders came for all batteries and reg- 
iments to be prepared to march out at a moment's notice. 
Early in the morning of the 30th (3:30), the troops of the 
Ninth C()r]-)s were massed in the immediate front of Forts 
Willcox and ^Morton. The First Division (Ledlie's) was to 
lead the advance, and was to be followed by the Third Di- 
vision (Willcox's) to protect the left flank of the First, and 



246 rp:mimscen'ces of .major roemer. 

the Second (Potter's) was to go to the right of the First. The 
Fifth Corps (Warren) and the Eighteenth (Smith) were to ad- 
vance as soon as the Ninth was out of the way. Every- 
thing was now ready for lighting the fuse that should ignite 
the 8,000 pounds of powder placed in the mine. At 4 a. m. 
every artilleryman was at his post ; the guns were all load- 
ed ; and the lanyards, in hand, ready to be pulled. The 
signal was given ; the fuse was lighted : but the mine failed 
to explode. This caused a delay of nearly an hour, during 
which time, Sergeant Henry Rees and Lieut. Jacob Douty, 
of the 48th Pennsylvania Volunteers, re-entered the mine, 
repaired and relighted the fuse. At nearly 5 a. m. the mine 
exploded. Then followed a heavy shock as of an earth- 
quake, and a tremendous upheaval of earth. As the earth 
opened all around, and an immense cloud of smoke and 
dust arose in the air, the view became entirely obliterated 
for a while, and the damage that had been done could not 
be estimated. The earth seemed to fly into the air, and, as- 
suming the form of a waterspout as seen at sea, rose to a 
height of about forty feet, while the smoke and dust rolled 
up in a cloud to the height of seventy-five or a hundred feet. 
When the smoke and dust had cleared away, we could 
see what effect had been produced by the explosion. 
Masses of earth twenty or more feet in thickness had been 
hurled out as if they had been merely pebbles. Where the 
ground sloped down in the direction of Fort Willcox, the 
heaving of the earth was very plainly perceptible, and one 
of the bronze guns that had been in the blown-up fort, had 
been thrown down the hill in the direction of our fort, some 
fifty or sixty yards beyond the earth thrown out. One of 
the enemy, who, as he explained the matter to us after- 
ward, was standing on the top of the fort when the explo- 
sion took place, said, that when he felt the ground give 
way, hv did not know what could be the matter, but when 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 247 

the immense quantity of smoke burst forth, he thought it 
best to leave, and at once did so, though not through his 
own exertions, and landed within our lines, a prisoner of 
war. 

Immediately after the explosion, two hundred cannon in 
our lines opened lire causing the very earth to tremble with 
their thunder. About ten minutes after the explosion, the 
First Division of the Ninth Corps (Ledlie's), was ordered to 
advance to attack the enemy and take possession of the 
crater. This was followed by the Second Division (Pot- 
ter's) and later still by the Third (Willcox"s). Finally at 
7 a. m., two hours after the explosion, the Fourth Division 
(colored) commanded by Gen. Ferrero, was ordered to 
advance and charge on the crater and the rebel works to 
the right and left of it. At the time of the explosion, all 
the rebels in our immediate front left their works in great 
haste running in the direction of Petersburg, but were soon 
brought back, and advanced to the attack on our Ninth 
Corps troops crowded together in the crater. The Fifth and 
Eighteenth Corps remained inert doing nothing to support 
the Ninth Corps. 

All the movements of our own troops, and the greater 
part of those of the rebels, cou.ld be distinctly seen from 
our fort owing to its peculiar position. In consequence, 
seven general ofticers were assembled in the fort to observe 
them. Soon after the advance of the Ninth Corps, Lieut. 
Garretson asked permission to go down into the ravine 
where the troops were massed. I granted his request and 
added, "If you can do anything to help the matter along, 
do so." The battle was now at a fever heat, and the excite- 
ment of the troops was most intense, as cannon and mus- 
ketry were pouring in their deadly tire on the men in the 
crater with the greatest rapidity. Just then, Lieut. Garret- 
son returned fairly quivering with intense excitement. 



248 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

"Captain," said he, "I am afraid the game is up, but if 
you and I had each a reg-iment of infantry, we could yet 
capture the Appomattox bridge." It is no wonder we were 
all thoroughly excited, for, being where we could distinctly 
observe all the movements of both sides around the crater, 
when we saw our columns did not advance as was ordered 
and expected, we began to fear that this action, upon which 
so much depended, was going to be a stupendous failure. 
This contest for the supremacy had brought on extremely 
hard tighting. Very heavy reinforcements were brought up 
from Petersburg, in addition to those who had abandoned 
the lines at the time of the explosion, and been driven back 
by their officers with drawn swords. The fire of the Union 
artillery upon them was exceedingly severe, yet their ad- 
vance was not checked. 

It was now 8 a. m. and the contest had been steadilv in- 
creasing in severity for three hours, as the mine was ex- 
ploded at 5 A. M. It was now learned that the enemy were 
collecting reinforcements from all points possible, and even 
from points on their lines twelve miles north of the Appo- 
mattox, which latter they were hurrying down across the 
bridge through Petersburg and out to Cemetery Hill with all 
possible speed. Most of the reinforcements were perfectly 
fresh troops. Hundreds of men were now cooped up in the 
crater, where, for a time, they found shelter from the enemy's 
fire, but could not advance as they had been ordered to do. 

The enemy now brought uj) mortars of all sizes and, pvo- 
ceeded to make it as uncomfortable as they possibly could 
for the men in the crater. The result of their endeavors was 
this, that as soon as any one tried to climb out he was at 
once picked off. Capt. Brackett, A. A. A. G. to Gen. Willcox, 
had to clamber over the huge masses of earth thrown out by 
the explosion while carrying to our trooj^s the orders direct- 
ing them what to do. Three times did he have to climb up 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 249 

and over the same masses of earth in the performance of 
this work. During- a battle, a general's aides must, no mat- 
ter how heavy the firing may be, carry the orders to the 
points designated. 

It was not long before the enemy had re-established their 
lines again both on the right and on the left of the crater, 
and had planted their mortars along their rear line, from 
which they opened fire upon the men still in the crater. As 
their shells exploded in that hole fifteen or twenty feet deep, 
we could see men blown to pieces many of which were 
sent flying through the air. It was a most horrible sight to 
behold. We in Fort Willcox did everything in our power to 
sustain our troops in the crater, as well as protect those 
whose mission it was to carry succor and relief to those 
troops. Our guns were trained on every point where we 
could do anything to benefit our troops and punish the 
enemy. Although we knew by this time that the game was 
lost for our side, we, nevertheless, did all we could. 

Late in the afternoon a truce was arranged. Gen. Will- 
cox was one of the commissioners During this, our dead 
were buried and our wounded cared for. After Gen. Will- 
cox returned, he told me he was asked by a rebel Major, 
and Chief of the rebel artillery in our front, if the battery in 
front of the fort that was blown up was under his com- 
mand. Gen. Willcox replied that it was, and that it was 
Capt. Roemer's Battery. "Well, General," the major con- 
tinued, "that Battery did our troops more damage than all 
the other batteries in your front combined." 

Thus ended the Battle of the Petersburg Crater, July 30th, 
1864. " The four divisions of the Ninth Corps lost 52 offi- 
cers and 376 men killed; 105 officers and 1,556 men wounded; 
and 87 officers and 1,652 men captured, total, 3,828."* A 

* Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 4, p. 559, Maj. W. H. 
Powell, U. S. A. 



250 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

further result was, "on August 13th Gen. Burnsicle was 
granted a leave of absence and Gen. John G. Parke was 
assigned to the command of the Ninth Corps. Gen. Burn- 
side resigned April 15th, 1865. "t All this occurred because 
Gen. Burnside had not been supported as he believed he 
should have been. 



t Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 4, p. 57'2. (Foot note by 
Editors.) 



CHAPTER XV. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG CON'TIXTED. AUGUST I, 1 864 TO DECEM- 
BER 3 1ST, 1864. 

After the Battle of the Crater, the same rivalry that had 
existed previous to it, still continued and the tiring- was 
constant on both sides, until August 25th, on which date 
the First Division of the Ninth Corps, consisting of the 51st 
N. v., 51st Pa., the 2d, 8th, 17th and 22d Mich., and the 
34th N. Y Battery* was ordered to go to Hatcher's Run to 
support Gen. Hancock and his Pennsylvania Bucktails of 
the Second Corps. The latter had had that day a hard con- 
test with the enemy who had been too much for them. The 
Battery arrived at night and threw up breastworks, for shel- 
ter, after going into position. The following morning, the 
battle opened with a hot attack on our lines, but the rebels 
soon learned that some of the Ninth Corps were behind the 
Bucktails, and this fact appeared to satisfy them, as they 
did not venture far, being evidently afraid they might get in 
return what they had gi\-en the Bucktails the day before. 
One section of the Battery was then placed in Redoubt 
No. I, while the other was sent to the Aiken House 

The next day, August 27th, the Battery moved to the 
Jones House, where one section was put in position, and 

* The 34th N. Y. Battery had up to this time occupied Fort Willcox, 
or Battery XVI, for about seven weeks, or since .July 4th, 1864. 

J. ROEMER. 



252 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

earthworks thrown up at once. On the 30th I was severely 
wounded by a cut across the knee cap. This wound nearly 
cost me my life, for it soon became so inflamed that an ampu- 
tation of the leg was determined upon, but I stoutly refused 
to permit it. On this account, the Battery was withdrawn 
and sent to the Aiken House, about five miles south of 
Petersburg, where it remained until September 28th, mean- 
while constructing earthworks in front. 

Then the Battery moved over to the Pegram House where 
a battle occurred on September 30th. This was short but 
severe. The artillery was all misplaced, and for this reason 
the Battery lost a number of good men killed and wounded, 
and was unable to do itself any good or properly protect 
and support our infantry. It really looked as if the officer 
who ordered the Battery into position in front ot the picket 
line, was either ignorant of the proper way of handling 
artillery, or was determined to sacrifice the Battery to gratify 
some personal feeling. During the whole existence of the 
Battery from muster-in to muster-out, both as Battery L, 
2d N. Y. Art., and as the 34th N. Y. Independent Bat- 
tery, it had been obliged in many engagements to change 
its position to avoid capture by the enemy, but in this en- 
gagement, it had been the narrowest escape of all. Had 
not Lieuts. Garretson and Johnston possessed the courage, 
coolness, and presence of mind to do what they did in that 
emergency, the Battery, as well as other troops, would 
have been lost. It was wholly due to these officers that the 
Battery was saved from capture by the enemy, and I here 
record my appreciation of their bravery and skill. They had 
had scarcely time to tire three rounds befc^re the loss of life 
among the members of the Battery had exceeded that in- 
curred in any previous engagement. 

I was not present with the Battery during this engage- 
ment, because I had gone home to Flushing shortly after I 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 253 

was wounded on August 30th, on sick leave for twenty- 
days. On the 28th of September, shortly before the expira- 
tion of my leave, I had telegraphed to Gen. Willcox for a 
ten days' extension of my leave. In reply to this I received 
a telegram which said, "Come on at once." I immediately 
started for the front, where I arrived at 11.50 p. m. October 
6th. The next morning, Gen. Willcox came to my tent and 
asked me if I could ride a horse. I asked him why. He 
answered by saying he wanted me to go with him over the 
battlefield of September 30th. I replied, " All right, I guess 
I can ride sideways." After viewing the field I asked him 
how many batteries were on the field during the battle. He 
replied. "Yours was the only one. " I then told him I was 
very sorry the Battery had suffered such losses in killed and 
wounded, and then asked him why two batteries had not 
been placed north of the Pegram House and two south of 
it, for I saw that four batteries thus placed, could have 
swept the battlefield from end to end, as the height of the 
hill would have enabled the artillery to fire over our infan- 
try with safety, thus protecting their advance, or sheltering 
them if they had been compelled to fall back. In the latter 
case, the enemy would not have been able to drive our 
men from their splendid position. "Well, Captain," Gen- 
Willcox replied, "it's all over now and he wears a stove- 
pipe." (INIeaning by this expression that the Chief of Artil- 
lery, who had ordered the Battery into the position it had 
occupied, had been dismissed from the army.) 

In this engagement Private S. Brunnemer was killed, Pri- 
vate Edward Ebell mortally wounded (dying October 6th at 
Beverly Hospital, R. I.), and Privates James Baine, William 
Berndt, H. Kasemeyer and Patrick Kiernan, more or less 
severely wounded. Besides these, three horses were killed 
and five wounded. All these casualties occurred within ten 
minutes. This position was afterward strongly fortified by 



2 54 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

US with redoubts and breastworks ; the latter were held by 
our infantry. The Pegram House was afterward burned, 
either by our own fire or that of the enemy. On the day 
preceding- my return to the front, the enemy made an attack 
on our lines in the course of which the Battery fired ten 
rounds. One section was ordered to take position in Re- 
doubt No. 2, to maintain a vigilant watch on the enemy"s 
line. 

October 12th the left section was in position in Redoubt 
No. I, and the right section in Redoubt No. 2, and both sec- 
tions fired occasionally during the day. The Battery re- 
mained here in position until Noveml)er ist, when it went 
into camp at Poplar Spring Church, and enjoyed a little rest. 
The 8th was spent in overhauling everything, men's quar- 
ters, gun-carriages, caissons, harness, etc., and, in what 
might be called a thorough "house cleaning." Two days 
later one section was drilled mounted, and one day later, 
both sections were thus drilled. On the 13th the Battery 
was inspected, and afterward there was a mounted drill in 
all the maneuvers likely to be required on the battlefield. 

The Battery remained here until November 29th, and, 
meantime, the men were allowed to have some change of 
occupation. 

On the 29th the Battery was ordered to go to the right 
some seven miles, to the Friend House, in rear of our main 
line fronting Petersburg. On the ist of December, the guns 
were placed in position in I-'\)rt Friend, while the caissons 
went into camp still farther to the rear, near Meade Station 
on the U. S. Military Railroad. Both men and horses were, 
at this time, ])retty well used up. I reported this state of 
affairs to Gen. Willcox, who said in reply, he had already 
considered our case, and had, for the very reason I had men- 
tioned, ordered the Battery to Fort Friend, where both men 
and horses could rest comfortabh', because that fort was 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINUED. 



■:>:> 



one of the rear ones, and, consequently, the men would 
have little or nothing- to do during- the winter, beyond the 
routine work necessary to keep them in condition for instant 
service, and I would be allowed to give the men all the lib- 
erty and privileges I had at my disposal. Gen. Willcox said 
further, "I know your Battery has undergone very arduous 
service since the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5th. You 
will now be near my headquarters, and if I can aid you in 
making your men more comfortable just let me know-. " I 
thoroughly appreciated Gen. Willcox"s kindness. 

The Battery was now directly in front of Petersburg, but 
in the rear line, and the "Johnnies '" could not peck at us so 
well as before, when their southern blood was up. When- 
ever they tried to do so, we gave them a good dose of north- 
ern pills to cool them off, and, according to their own ac- 
knowledgment, our medicine was, in most cases, very 
effectiA^e. 

On December 2, 1S64, the following order was issued to 
the Battery : 

Headquarters 34th N. Y. Indep. Y. V. Light Battery, ) 
Fort Friend, before Petersburg, Dec. 2, 1864. ) 

C. O. No. 19. 

Winter quarters will be constructed for both men and 
horses. The Battery's guns will be parked facing south. 
The officers' quarters will be erected in rear of the guns, and 
the men's quarters on the right and left. The stables \vill 
be south of the fort, facing east and west, and will be 100 
feet long by 50 feet wide. The hospital stables will be 25 
feet by 25 feet. All fencing shall be 12 feet high. Log 
houses for the men shall be each 8 feet by 10 feet, and 4| 
feet high, and covered with shelter tents. All crevices must 
be tilled with clay. By order of 

Capt. Jacob Roemer, 

Commanding Battery. 

John H. Starkins, First Sergeant. 



256 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

The log houses constructed in compHance with the fore- 
going- order accommodated four men each, comfortably. It 
took fully three weeks to complete the houses and stables, 
although all worked very hard early and late. Still all felt 
well repaid for their labor, and were very proud of their 
quarters, which were greatly praised by all who saw them. 
While at Vicksburg in 1863, I made the acquaintance of a 
Lieut. Graves, commanding a U. S. Battery. He and three 
other officers called on me soon after the camp was com- 
pleted. After mutual greetings had been exchanged, Lieut. 
Graves said to me, " Roemer, just after our arrival from the 
Shenandoah Valley we heard that you had one of the finest 
camps around here. If you don't mind, I would like to in- 
spect it and your stables.'' I acceded to his wish. After 
the inspection was over, he said, "Roemer, without any 
flattery, you have the very best constructed camp and stables 
of any battery in the lield, regular or volunteer, and in this 
my three friends here agree with me." In reply, I told him 
I had not traveled for three years with regular batteries with- 
out learning something. 

During all this time the Battery had fired an occasional 
shot at the enemy across the Appomattox, and had also had, 
at irregular intervals, mounted drills both by sections and 
by battery. When the houses were finished it receiA'ed or- 
ders to fix up and paint the gun-carriages and caissons. This 
being finished, the Battery was inspected by Maj. Miller, 
Asst. Insp. Gen. First Div., Ninth Corps. 

December 14, 1864, I received my commission as Brevet- 
Major U. S. v., from President Lincoln, for meritorious ser- 
vices in the field from the Wilderness to Petersburg, and 
particularly for services rendered at Spottsylvania Court 
House, on May 12, 1864. It was brought to me by Capt. 
Brackett, of Gen. \\Mllcox's staff. Handing it to me he said, 
"Captain Roemer, I have the honor of presenting to you 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. COXTIM'ED. 257 

your commission as Brevet-Major of U. S. Volunteers, given 
you by President Lincoln for meritorious services rendered 
on many battlefields. This is one of the proudest moments 
of my life, for I also have one as Brevet-Major, dated the 
same day as yours (Dec. 2, 1864). from our noble President, 
Abraham Lincoln." We embraced each other, as was nat- 
ural, anel did what men do not generally do, hugged and 
kissed each other. 

We had been constantly together during the campaign 
from the Wilderness to Petersburg, under most trying and 
dangerous circumstances, and on all the other battlefields 
as well as on that famous field at Spottsylvania Court House 
on that memorable 12th of May, 1864. Captain and Brevet, 
Major Brackett was one of my chief advisers and compan- 
ions during the campaign, and it was but natural that we 
should be much attached to each other. In this campaign 
so far, the 34th New York Battery had thrown, by actual 
computation, 10,450 pounds of iron into the enemy's lines, 
in its endeavors to break the force of the terrible charges 
made by them upon our lines. 

By Christmas, everything in and around Fort Friend had 
been put in perfect order, — camp, stables, etc., were all com- 
plete. Even Christmas trees had been planted in the little 
park in front of the tents. Looking at these, one would 
think it was June, rather than December. The holly bushes 
obtained from the Virginia woods, with their dark green 
glossy leaves and scarlet berries peeping out from among 
them, presented a picture well worth seeing. At a distance 
the holly berries might easily be mistaken for cherries, and, 
in fact, were by some of our distinguished visitors. 

On Christmas morning we received the season's compli- 
ments from our numerous friends and visitors. This ancient 
holiday is greatly enjoyed every year by all living in Chris- 
tian countries, but this particular Christmas was especially 



258 REMIXISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

enjoyed by the true soldier in the field. His thoughts nat- 
urally turned to the dear ones at home assembled around 
the fireside, and, although he could not attend church, yet 
he could be as truly devout and worship God as sincerely 
out there in the field amid the beauties of nature as in the 
grandest church. I have commanded one hundred and fifty 
men constantly for four long years, have studied their na- 
tures, and have learned to know just how their thoughts will 
run at times, and also what constitutes a thoroughly good 
soldier. Such a one makes a good citizen, a faithful hus- 
band and a loving father. I have watched my men, not 
alone while they were under my command in the field, but 
ever since they received their discharge from the army, now^ 
thirty-one years ago, and I find that the opinions I then 
formed of them as to character, have remained unchanged. 

Christmas presents were exchanged by the members of 
the Battery among one another, and I came in for my full 
share of them. I must mention one of them, it was so 
unique. It was a wreath representing a company of sol- 
diers gathered around their commander on the battlefield. 
It was composed of one hundred and eighty pieces of wood 
obtained from the forests around us, carved and fashioned 
with an ordinary pocket-knife, and so fitted together that 
one single piece held the whole number in place, witlu)ut 
the use of any nails, screws, or glue. It was a finished 
piece of work, and I still cherish it as a sacred emblem of 
my men's love for me, their commander. 

During the month of July, my men had collected some 
fifteen pounds of rebel bullets picked up in and around Fort 
Willcox. These were taken by some men of the 48th Pa. 
Vols., (Engineers) melted and cast into the form of a min- 
iature lo-inch mortar. This I still have in my possession 
and, on every recurring Fourth of July I salute the national 
flag with it, firing the recpusite number of rounds — one for 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONTINl'ED. 259 

every star in the flatr. Very many souvenirs of the war 
were made of these leaden missiles picked up inside of our 
lines, and to make them in the designs adopted, required 
talent and skill in workmanship of no mean order, but of 
these there was an abundance among the members of the 
Battery. 

I have always felt a certain degree of contempt for the 
professional opinions of a certain high officer of the British 
army (Lord Wolsely) who has stated as his belief, that the 
Union Army of 1861-1865 was nothing but an "organized 
mob." However, every man who considers the subject 
candidly, thinks very differently, for he knows what arduous 
services that army performed on hundreds of battlefields 
from the First Battle at Bull Run to the Surrender at Ap- 
pomattox Court House. In addition to their abilities as 
tireless fighters, the soldiers of that army were cai)able of 
performing any service whatever, from fastening a horse- 
shoe to building a bridge either on pontoons or on piers, or 
repairing a locomotive. The troops of the Army of the 
Potomac were under fire day by day from the Wilderness 
May 5th to Petersburg, June i8th, a period of fifty-four days 
during which they practically fought all day and marched 
all night and had very little rest, and were seldom t)ut of 
the ranyfe of rebel bullets. 



CHAPTHR XVI. 



SIEGE OF PETESBURG CONCLUDED. CAPTURE AND RECAPTURE OF 
FORT STEDMAN. SURRENDER OF PETERSBURG. 

New Year's Day, 1865, was formally opened with calls 
made on us b}' many officers who came to present their 
congratulations and wish us "A Happy New Year."" One 
and all spoke of their hopes and longings for a speedy ter- 
mination of the war. Dr. McDonald in particular, made a 
personal call, and then inspected our stables, officially, to 
ascertain their sanitary condition. While we were going 
through the stables he fell in love with a beautiful gray horse 
that had been severely wounded June 2, 1864, by a bullet 
striking him in the left fore shoulder. I had thought at the 
time we would have to shoot him, but when we were about 
to do so he looked at me so pitifully that I had not the heart 
to give the order to fire. I ordered the men to give hmi 
twenty-four hours more of grace. At the end of that time 
he had so far recovered as to be able to rise to his feet. A 
few weeks later he became fit to be ridden. Just before New 
Year's Day, however, he fell lame again. Dr. McDonald 
examined him and found the bullet had lodged in the left 
breast, where it interfered greatly with the movements of 
the muscles. The next day the doctor came again and ex- 
tracted the bullet, and then said, " 1 have done this fc^r my 
own satisfaction, but 1 did not think I should have to cut 
so deep as I tlid — three inches." He showed me the bullet. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. COXCLIDED. 26 1 

which had been so flattened out that it resembled a half dol- 
lar more than it did a bullet After this operation the gray 
rapitlly improved, and in a short time became the pride of 
the Battery. In June, 1865, he was turned over to the gov- 
ernment in good condition. 

First Sergeant Johnston, who liad been acting second 
lieutenant since October 14, 1864, was mustered in as 
second lieutenant, to rank from [anuary i, 1865, and Ser- 
geant William K. Balkie was also mustered in as second 
lieutenant, to rank from January 14, 1865. 

The Battery passed the time it was in Fort Friend doing 
garrison duty and in drilling. An occasional shot was fired 
into the enemy's lines or at their baggage trains across the 
Appomattox This manner of life continued until the 24th of 
March, when an order. Special Order No. 5, Headquarters, 
Artillery Brigade,- Ninth Corps, came for the 34th N. Y. 
Battery and the 46th N. Y. Infantry, as the Battery's sup- 
port, to proceed at once to Fort McGilvery and relieve 
Capt. Rhoad's Battery D, Pa. Art. (late Durell's). This fort 
was on the right and on the front line of our works about a 
quarter of a mile south of the Appomattox. The troops 
moved up to the fort at 9 p. ji. and took possession of it. 
The guns were placed in position, and the infantry posted 
at once I then examined the magazine, the ditch in front, 
the port holes, etc., very carefully, and made everything- 
ready to meet any possible attack during the night. As we 
were all perfect strangers to this new position, and as there 
is nothing like getting used to new surroundings in war as 
quickly as possible, this careful inspection of these quarters 
was absolutely iiecessary. The fort was one of the strong- 
est of the three large forts in our front line. Confronting it, 
was a very strong work of the enemy's not over nine hun- 
dred yards distant. When I took charge of the fort, I was 
^ chargeil to guard it most rigidly and vigorously, and there- 



262 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

fore, in making- our arrangements, I instructed the Sergeant 
commanding the guard, to keep one gun loaded ready for 
firing in case of an attack, and, in such a case, to call me if 
he should have time, but if not, to fire the gun which wcndd 
be a signal for every man to be at his post without w aiting 
for orders. No one was allowed to undress for the night. 

At half-past eleven I took my blanket and lay down to 
sleep in temporary quarters provided by my servant, who 
then, wrapped in his blanket, lay dc^wn by my side. I slejit 
lightly until about 3:30 on the morning of the 25th, at which 
hour Sergeant Rossbach, sergeant of the guard, awoke me 
and said, "Captain, there is some disturbance on our left in 
the direction of Fort Stedman, but I cannot make out what 
it is." I arose immediately and, with the sergeant went to 
the rear and left of the fort, and very soon saw there was 
trouble of . ome sort at Fort Stedman. We heard musketry 
firing. Some twenty or thirty shots were fired and then it 
ceased, but soon began again. I now ordered Sergeant 
Rossbach to send his corporal, with my compliments, to 
Lieut.-Col. Ely, commanding Second Brigade; First Division, 
Ninth Corps, to tell him I wished to see him at once in Fort 
McGilvery on important business concerning this musketry 
fire. Col. Ely soon came with his orderly. As he entered 
the fort, he inquired, ''Roemer, what's the matter.^ "' I ex- 
plained the matter to him, and at the moment I hatl finished 
I saw one of the guns of Roger's Nineteenth Nevi- ^'ork Bat- 
tery, stationed in Fort Stedman, fire a shot to the rear. At 
this I turned to Col. Ely and said, "Colonel, the Johnnies 
have taken Fort Stedman. " This occurred at 4 a. m. while 
it was still quite dark. "What makes you think so .'*" he 
inquired. "Well, Colonel," I replied, "the gun just dis- 
charged would have been fired west if our troops had pos- 
session of the fort, but as it fired east, that makes me think 
the enemy have gained possession of the fort and turned 



CAPTURE AND RFXAPTl'RE OF FORT STEDMAN. 263 

Rogers' guns on our men to drive them to the rear. " 1 could 
not see, but I could hear, and while I was standing there 
pointing with my sabre in the direction of Fort Stedman, 
another of the fort's guns thundered to the rear. This startled 
•Col. Ely, and he at once said, " Roemer. you are right." 
"Now, Colonel," I asked, "what are your ortlers .^ " He 
answered, "Captain, I will give you no orders. Exercise 
3''our best judgment in using your guns and the muskets of 
the 46th New York." "Then, Colonel, " said 1, "please 
■order Lieut. -Cc^l. Becker of the 46th. to open the three left 
port holes, and I will ojien fire at once on Fort Stedman with 
percussion shell." in half an hour the port holes were open 
and three guns in position at them, ready to throw shell into 
the fort which had been the i:>osition of Rogers' 19th New 
York Battery and rout out the enemy. 

The grcnving light of the dawn in the east had now be- 
come sufficient for me to discern objects and to direct our 
shells so as to be effective in checking the enemy's progress. 
From our fort we could see the enemy's advancing lines, 
now but about four hundred yards distant from the Union 
lines, on ground rising some twenty or twentv-five feet uj) 
to Fort Stedman. Through my glass I could see some pass- 
ing and repassing along the lines, looking, from my posi- 
tion, like sticks, though they were, in reality, the enemy's 
soldiers. All this time I ditl not notice the firing of a single 
shot at them from the guns, either of Fort Stedman or Fort 
Haskell. Our guns in Fort INIcCjilvery fired some thirt)' or 
more shots liefore any others of our Union artillery opened fire. 

It was now clearly evident that the enemy had broken 
through our lines and were in full possession of Fort Sted- 
man. At this moment all the guns and mortars in the rebel 
lines from Cemetery Hill to the forts north of the Appomat- 
tox, opened fire on Fort McGilvery, for that fort was now, 
for them, the most important ]")oint to gain next, because it 



264 REMINISCENCES OK MAJOR ROEMER. 

commanded the road to City Point on the James River, the 
base of supplies for both the Army of the Potomac and the 
Army of the James. Their lines of fire upon us in Fort Mc- 
Gilvery formed the radii of a complete half circle, of which 
our fort was the center or focus. They had full sweep upon 
us, and the air was filled with flying- shot and shell. Sev- 
eral of their mortar shells entered the fort. One of these 
struck the ground near where my servant was lying asleep, 
and exploded, throwing- a cart load of earth over him, and, 
of course, waking him up. He scraml)led out and rushed 
over to where I was standing, a most thoroughly frightened 
boy. As soon as I saw who it was, I asked him, "'Frank, 
Avhat is the matter with you .•' " He then told me about the 
explosion, and added that he thought his last minute had 
come. I told him to go back, but he refused to stir an inch, 
saying, "Captain, I wont leave you, for wherever you are 
there is luck," and go back he did not, but always kept close 
at my heels or clung to my coat. 

Everything was now hurried to head off the enemy's ad- 
vance. Gen. Hartranft was among the first to advance 
against the enemy wilh his Pennsylvania Reserves of the 
Third Division, Ninth Corps, and close up on them. I saw 
that the enemy had secured two of the 19th New York's guns 
and several Coehorn mortars and taken them out in front of 
Fort Stcdman ready to run them back into their lines. I 
called Sergeant Rossbach and asked him to tell me what he 
could see. He said he could see quite a group of men gath- 
ered around the guns and mortars. He then returned to his 
piece, and with the aid of my glass aimed it at the group of 
men who were struggling hard to take the guns away. 
Two shrapnel from Rossbachs guns frightened them terri- 
bly, and they ran away leaving the guns behind. The guns 
were, however, soon after retaken by our troops and brought 
l)ack within our lines. 



CAPTURE AND RFXAPTURE OF FORT STEDJIAN. 265 

In the meantime the three guns in the left port holes of 
Fort McGilvery had been doing- good work, but now the 
ammunition was running low. To obtain more I sent off 
two horsemen, one to artillery headquarters and the other 
to the Battery s caisson camp, with orders to get 200 rounds 
each. 1 thought that, perhaps, the one sent to artillery bri- 
gade headquarters might be captured, and, for that reason 
had sent the other as I did. The latter 1 told to go to the 
rear and far encnigh to the east to gain a deep gully, which 
would protect him, and bring back word whether the Bat- 
tery's wagons had arrived at the place to which I had or- 
dered them to go. The first horseman was captured as I 
had feared. The other returned in safety and said the wag- 
ons had arrived. I immediately sent him back to bring up 
the ammunition through the gully abo\'e mentioned. 

The rebels had now reached ground fully one mile to the 
rear of our lines. We, in Fort McCiilvery, were firing round 
after round and things were becoming very lively on our 
left, when I noticed a column of- the enemy advancing on 
the rear and left of the fort along the Norfolk road at a point 
where there was a tleep cut through a hill. As there were 
no port holes in the rear parapet of Fort McGilvery, no guns 
could be brought to bear on this column in the regular way, 
but as this advancing column was placing our infantry at 
the enemy's mercy, it had become a matter of the highest 
importance to check it, if possible, and very quickly, too. 
Our guns must be brought somehow to bear upcjn this 
column as it came through and out of the cut. I ordered 
gun No. 5, commanded by Sergeant A. Townsend to be 
pushed up the rear traverse and put on the parapet of the 
fort. It was done successfully but it took ten strong men 
to do it. Corporal \Vm. Rierson was the gunner in charge 
of the piece. The Battery's beautiful guidon was planted 
beside this gun. Then were heard the cheers of the infantry 



266 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

when they saw g-un and guidon on top of the parapet. All 
the infantry in our front and on our right were composed of 
some of our best troops. They were the 2d, 8th, 17th and 
27th Michigan, the 51st New York, the 51st Pennsylvania, 
and the 21st and 36th Massachusetts Volunteers, besides 
otheis that were old stand-bys. When the officers saw our 
gun and guidon, they called out to the men, "Courage,^ 
boys, Roemer will take care of us. '" 

This was a very trying time ; events were occurring more 
rapidly than I can recount them. The situation was very 
critical. There, in our left rear, was the advancing rebel 
column ; here, on the rear parapet of Fort McGilvery, were 
we with but one gun bearing upon the column. But as this 
column was very compact in the cut, we felt we could do 
pretty good execution. I set t(j work with this one gun and 
nine men to do all that could be done. I charged the 
gunner to fire low. Three shots were lired but all were too 
high, going over their heads. The column still advanced. 
I then stepped up and took charge of the gun, and said, 
"We must do better or we are gone." 1 also knew that 
the ammunition was running very low, and I thought, 
"What then.?" Just at this supremely critical moment, 
when we had luit seven rounds left in the fort, Mr. Cryder, 
sutler of the 51st New York, who had been sent to help get 
the ammunition wagon up through the gully, dro\'e up into 
the fort at a gallop with it, and thus saved the day for us. 

After tiring a fourth shot, we, at last, obtained the proper 
range, and the next three shells went just where 1 wanted 
them to go, for they struck the ground about four }'ards in 
front of the ad\'ancing column and there exploded right in 
the faces of the liead of the colunm, doing great execution. 
The eighth shell i)roduced a like effect. Just as I was 
about to utter the commantl, " Fire," for the ninth round, I 
was struck on the right shouUler by a jiiece of shell which 



CAPTURE AND RECAPTURE OF FORT STEDMAN. 267 

also struck John Bauer, No. 3 of the gun stjuad, and nearly- 
cut him in two, thus killing- him instantly. After eleven 
shells more had been tired by this single gun on Fort 
McGilvery's rear parapet, the enemy surrendered in a body. 
They lost 127 killed and wounded, besides those prisoners 
who surrendered. One of the prisoners told us that the 
Battery's seventh shot killed eleven men and wounded 
twenty-two. The casualties among the gun squad working 
this gun on the parapet were one man, John Bauer, killed, 
and three men. Corporal Rierson, Privates T. S. Griffin and 
Patrick Kiernan, wounded, besides myself. My wound 
was very serious ; I was kept under the influence of morphine 
for three days and three nights after the battle, and I may 
say I suffer from it to this day. 

By 8 A. M. , Fort Stedman had been re-taken and our lines 
re-established by the troops of the Ninth Corps. Two 
thousand prisoners and about sixteen hundred small arms 
were captured by the Ninth Corps. Retpiests for assistance 
were telegraphed to General Humphreys, commanding the 
Second Corps, but it arrived too late to be of service. 
General Hartranft, who had entered the battle as a brigadier- 
general, had become, at the close of the engagement at 
sundown, a major-general of United States Volunteers, for 
having brought up his Pennsylvania Reserves so hurriedly 
into action and having therewith checked the onslaught of 
the enemy and also for having given efficient aid in re-taking 
Fort Stedman. The guns of the 34th New York Battery, 
that were in action during this engagement, fired in all 465 
rounds of ammunition. I had in Fort McGilvery four of my 
own guns and two belonging to United States (regular) 
Batteries, besides two pieces in Battery V near Appomattox 
River. 

A heavy attack was made on our lines on March 29th by 
the enemy with both artillery and muskets. The enemy 



268 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

charged on our lines but were not successful, as the elements 
interfered ; a heavy rain-storm put an end to all fighting for 
the day. Our supporting regiment, the 46th New York 
Volunteers, lost three men killed and ten wounded. The 
34th New York Battery had two men wounded and tired 281 
rounds. 

March 30th, it rained all day, still the enemy were 
engaged in massing troops in our front and e^■idently pre- 
paring for another attack, but all our commands were fully 
aware of their movements and entirely ready to meet it. 
All had an abundant supply of pills, both large and small; 
for use as occasion might require. Those that had been 
administered since the morning of March 25th, had prf)ved 
very effective. At 10 a. m. , the enemy were observed 
massing troops at the Crater. All our troops were at their 
posts and the order was given to each command to l)e on 
the alert and ready for any emergency that might arise. 
Sleep was dispensed with unless it could be secured with 
one eye and one ear open. The excitement everywhere 
was most intense 

Friday, March 31st, was a day full of conuntlrums. 
Something was going on that could not be clearly explained. 
My own mind was so charged with the idea that a great 
storm was brewing, that would scatter the chaff in our front 
to the four (|uartcrs of the earth, that 1 could think of 
nothing else. During the day, artillery attacks were made 
by the enemy occasionally at various iK)ints along our 
entire line from the extreme right to the extreme left. At 
abt)ut 10 p, M, , a heavy artillery fire was opened by the 
enemy u])()n the lines of the Ninth Cori)s, and at about the 
same time 1 received information from Colonel VAy com- 
manding 2d Brigade ist Division Ninth Corps, that two 
men representing themselves to be members of the 34th 
New York liattery had come across the Ap])()mattox River. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG COXCLUDED. 269 

I, at once, left the work upon which I was eng-aged at the 
time outside of the fort, returned to the fort and ordered the 
guards at the magazine to be doubled, taking for this pur- 
pose some of the men belonging to the 5th United States Ar- 
tillery, one section of which was in position in the fort. These 
guards were instructed to allow no men not on duty to pass 
the magazine guard, and, under no circumstances, to allow 
any one not authorized, to enter it, and, furthermore, to 
keep a sharp lookout for spies and to guard against any 
mishap. The 34th's four guns kept up a continuous fire for 
two hours, and even then the enemy's lire was still very 
rapid. I now ordered thirty rounds of fuse shell with fifteen- 
second fuses to be prepared for use as hand-grenades to be 
thrown over the parapet if the enemy should charge on the 
fort and succeed in getting into the ditch in front. 

This artillery fire on our lines continued from 10 p. m., 
March 31st. till nearly daylight on the morning of April isr. 
To the 46th New York Infantry, the Battery's support in the 
fort, great credit is due for their hearty co-operation with 
the Batter}'. Every one had the greatest contidence in the 
ability of Fort ]\Ic(iilvery"s garrison to take care of the tort 
if the enemy should charge upon it. 

Although the next day, Saturday, April ist, was "All 
Fools' Day," the men in Fort McGilvery hoped they would 
not be fooled by the enemy. 1 thought and felt it was a good 
day for "cleaning house," and the actions of the rebels 
seemed to indicate that they had the same feeling, and had 
determined to clear their forts of all the ammunition they 
contained, so that when we moved in we should not be en- 
cumbered with any old iron. So anxious were they to rid 
themselves of their ammunition that they threw their shot 
and shell around very promiscuously among our troops, and 
this brought on severe fighting and plenty of it on both 
sides, and for both, the day proved to be a most fearful one. 



270 REMINISCENCES OF .MAJOR ROEMER. 

As the day passed, death and destruction were dealt out 
on all sides, and the air was fairly filled with shrieking rifles 
and hissing- mortar shells (I can hear them yet). These 
dropped all around and among us in Fort McGilvery, re- 
gardless of life and limb. The fighting was almost as severe 
as it had been on the 25th of March, but it was not at such 
close quarters as it was then, around the forts and trenches, 
yet it was close enough for comfort. Around Fort McGil- 
very it seemed as if an upheaval of the earth, t)f some sort, 
was going on, by the way the earth was torn up and regu- 
lar gullies dug out where their shells had exploded. For 
hundreds of yards around just outside the fort, in our front, 
the ground looked as if droves of hungry hogs had been 
rooting in it. Some of the mortar shells penetrated the 
earth to a depth of from three to six feet, and then exploded, 
making holes large enough to bury horses in. The largest 
of these holes were made by the 100-pounders. One can read- 
ily imagine how great must have been the force that hurled 
these missiles forth to perform their work of destruction. 

This firing continued throughout the whole day, and when 
night came on it did not cease, but was kept u]) until the 
next morning, Sunday, April 2d. In fact, between the hours 
of II p. M., April ist, and 2 a. m. , April 2d, the firing was 
greater than it had lieeii during the preceding day. It had 
been constant for twenty-one hours out of the twenty-four, 
and this had been the case every day since the 25th 'of 
March. Although every one was worn out, yet all were 
ready for work, no matter how fatiguing it might be, if duty 
called them. All in Fort McGilvery were at their posts ready 
to act when the command was gi\-en, whatever the emer- 
gency might be. Cannoneers rested beside their guns when- 
ever opportunity offered, and the infantry with muskets 
firndy graspeil lay down and slept for a while wlicnever 
there was a lull in the enemv's lire, as best thev coulil. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONCLUDED. 27I 

These were the soldiers of whom our country ought to be 
proud, for no one can tight as they did unless actuated by a 
sincere love for his country and its glorious flag. I do not 
think there was one of the 34th, officer or man, who had his 
clothes off between ?^Iarch 25th and April 4th. The Battery's- 
four guns in Fort McGilvery tired 480 rountls between Sat- 
urday morning, April ist, and Sunday morning, April 2d, 
and to do this, as may be readily understood, required very 
hard work. The two pieces in Battery V, fired sixty rounds. 
Our only casualties were Corporals T. S. Griffin and Fuller 
wounded. At 10 p. m. I was ordered to report at headquar- 
ters artillery brigade, and did so at 1 1 p. m., and then re- 
ceived orders to be prepared for any emergency, also to be 
ready to move with the troops to any point. 

Just at daylight on Sunday morning, April 2d, we ob- 
served that the enemy were making some unusual move- 
ments along their lines and within their works. These 
movements seemed to indicate that they were reinforcing 
certain points. At 8 a. m. we saw what was thought to be 
a large fire in the city of Petersburg. They were bringing 
in troops from their outer lines and seemed to be preparing 
to attack our lines. While this was going on the fire in the 
city appeared to be spreading, as the volume of smoke was 
growing more dense. By noon it appeared to us that 
Petersburg was doomed to be completely destroyed. We 
conjectured that they must be burning some materials or 
stores. Standing upon the rampart of the fort, I could look 
with my glass, directly into the great market-place in the 
heart of the city. I saw that a great fire was raging there, 
and that a great concourse of people had gathered around 
it and were looking on. I thought this was a good oppor- 
tunity for us to open fire. Acting upon this thought I sent 
an orderly to Gen. Willco.x with a note asking permission to 
open fire upon this point. Gen. Willcox wrote upon the 



272 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

back of my note his reply in these words, "Yes, Major, 
open fire upon the city and help the fire along,'' and sent it 
back to me ]K)st haste. It did not take long to get the guns 
ready ; in fact, they were ready before the reply came, I 
was so certain what its tenor would be. 

The first four or five shots directed upon this point caused 
a great scattering of the people gathered around the fire. 
The Battery's fire appeared to be effective and it was kept 
up during the whole afternoon. The movements of the 
enemy's troops continued during the entire day, and among 
our own troops there were all sorts of conjectures as to 
what these movements meant and also much wonderment 
regarding the next act in this great drama of war, to be 
played on this magnificent stage. All were waiting anxi- 
ously for the curtain to rise and every eye was strained to 
see what the rising of the curtain would disclose. Some 
said (}rant was like the great Napoleon at Jena or the 
Katzbach ; we knew it could not be a Waterloo for Lee had 
no Blucher. 

All along the Union lines the troops were waiting and watch- 
ing everything closely, entirely ready for the tiger to jump 
and firmly determined to throttle him then and there. We were 
becoming impatient and desirous of a little active excite- 
ment to relieve the strain. By 3 p. m., seven different 
attacks had been made on as many difterent parts of our 
lines, but what the final result would be, could not be 
clearly detinetl. We believed, howex'cr, that it would soon 
be revealed, for the enemy appeared to lie ecpially as 
determined as we, to have the thing settled speedily. I'he 
enemy's troojjs could still be seen marching here and there, 
placing batteries in position aiul arranging other details of 
their plans. We concluded that soon we should either 
come into close quarters in a most desperate contiict, or be 
at their heels. The glorious sun was sinking in the west, 



SIEGE OF PETERSBIRC. CONCLIDED. 2'/'^ 

but what tlie ])rospect wcnild be when it rose again, God 
alone knew. Our boys \\'ere lioping- and praying — ho]iing- 
tliat the war would soon end ; praying that it might, for 
they eoidd not stand the strain niueh longer. 

During this Sunday, .\]iril 2d, between sunrise and sunset 
the Battery tired seventy-three rounds and suffered no 
casualties. 

At 10 p. M., Sunday, April 2tl. orders were receiA'ed to the 
effect that at i .\. m., April T,d, the Second Brigade of the 
First Division of the Ninth Corps was to advance under the 
command of Colonel Ralph Ely from Fort INIcGilvery against 
the enemy's lines under cover of the fire of Major Roemer's 
guns in the fort. This fire was to continue until the first 
hurrah was heard from the troops covered by it, when it was 
to cease. This brigade was com])osetl mainly of Michigan, 
New York and Pennsylvania troops, which occupied the 
Union lines in front of Fort ]Mc(jiIvery, and on its right and 
left flanks. These regiments were all old "stand-bys" of 
the Battery, and had gone with it through many a "valley 
of the shadow of death." 'I'he 4fith New York, the Battery's 
support in the fort, was also to go with the brigade. 

Precisely at i a. m. , ^Monday, April T,d. the Secontl Brigade 
marched out, ami when the troops were tu'o hundred yards 
away, the 34th New ^'ork Battery opened on the rebel lines, 
firing over the heads of the advancing troops while they 
were feeling their way toward the enemy's lines, where they 
would either drive out the enemy or be captiu"ed themselves 
by the rebels. Such chances must be taken, at times, in 
order to accomjilisli something definite. The Battery con- 
tinued firing until 2 a. m. when, after a brief ]iause, the firing 
was resumed and continued until 3, but even then no an- 
swering "hurrah " reached our ears, and we began to think 
the rebels had taken down the telegra])h ])oles, or the mes- 
sage exjiectetl had not reacheil heachiuarters, yet we were 



2 74 REMINISCE^•CES QV MAJOR ROEMER. 

sure the message must come. We could not even think of 
the word "defeat," so confident were we that our cause 
must win. 

At exactly twenty minutes past 3 a. m. on that memorable 
Monday, the electrifying- cheer reached us, " Hurrah ! Hur- 
rah ! Hurrah ! "' and it was as if a galvanic Ixittery had sent 
an electric shock through every man. All were on the qui 
vwe. I then gave the order "Cease firing,'' and asked if all 
the guns were empty. Sergeant Townsend said, "My gun 
is still loaded.'" This gun was fired, and that sht)t was the 
last one fired into Petersburg, and was also, for the 34th 
New York Battery, the last shot of the war. I looked at my 
watch and noted the time ; it was 3:40 a. m. As the echoes 
of this last shot died away, I shouted, "Petersburg is ours; 
the war is over ; and to-day is my 47th birthday. Boys, 
you have done nobly." Can any one who was not in active 
service during the late war imagine the scene in the fort that 
followed my remark, or the time the boys made about it .•' 
After four long years of hard service in the field, all my boys, 
the bravest of the brave, were now gathered around me, 
grasping mv hand and oftering congratulations that I knew 
were honest and heartfelt. There were genuine tears in 
many eyes as the boys grasped my hand, and some were 
wholly unable to utter a word. 

When we knew that all was quiet along the lines, and 
when the congratulations were over. I said, "Boys, you 
have done nobly for Uncle Sam, and lie. in turn, appreciates 
you, and has provided some 'commissary' as a tonic for 
your worn-out nerves." There was a wild cheer for Uncle 
Sam. The "commissary " disappeared rapidl}'. for the boys 
drank heartily and, furthermore, 1 was re]ieate(.ll}' called out 
antl my health drank. 

All day long there was universal rejoicing along the entire 
line among the troops that had not as yet been ordered for- 



SIEGE OF PETERSBIRG. CONX'LUDED. 



/5 



ward, for all now knew they would soon return to their be- 
loved homes and families. No matter which way one turned 
and met another, whether soldier or officer, there was a 
hearty clasping of hands accompanied with a fervent ex- 
pression of thanksgiving. The usual remark was, "Peters- 
burg is ours, and our strife is over." As soon as it became 
known that Petersi)urg had fallen, and was really in our ])()s- 
session, all that could obtain leave were off to the citv to 
see the sights and secure trophies as mementos, but a more 
permanent memento was engraved on the heart of e\'ery 
soldier who served before Petersburg, for the memory of the 
hardships they had there endured could never be effaced, 
but for the moment, all that was forgotten. The lirst thing 
all sought to obtain was tc^bacco, for they had been on a 
short allowance of that article for months. 

In the previous June, I had bought $200 worth of tobacco 
and had since that time dealt it out verj' sparingly, to make 
the supply hold out. It acted like a charm ; whene\-er the 
men were sick and not able to tell what ailed them, I gave 
them some tobacco, and, presto ! all ailments were for- 
gotten. This tobacco bought in June and some in addition 
bought from the Battery's sutler was placed under the charge 
of the quartermaster sergeant, who distributed it weekly in 
small quantities, but the supply was now giving out, and this 
prospect of obtaining more was hailed with joy and delight. 
Hearing that tobacco could be had in abundance in Peters- 
burg, I started out at daylight on the 4th of April with four 
men and rode directly into the city, where I could see 
things in it without the aid of my glass. \\'hat we had 
strained our eyes to see the day before, was now right 
before us. We reined up in front of a large tobacco ware- 
house and saw that all were helping themseh^es liberally, 
and at that same moment two cavalrymen came out bringing 
with them a case of tobacco weighing two hundred pounds. 



276 REMIXISCEXCES OF -MAJOR ROEMER. 

I, at once, seized the case for my men, broke it open, 
divided it into four parts weit^hing- fifty pounds each, and 
gave one to each of my men to carry back t(^ Fort McGil- 
very. The cavalrymen strongly objected to this procedure, 
but I told them they were privates and had no right to take 
it from the warehouse ; I said, furthermore, that cavalrymen 
are always taking all the chickens and ducks, while we, 
artiller}'' men, have to be satisfied with the feathers. I sent 
my men back to the fort ; 1 knew, without gcnng back with 
them, how much my men would ajipreciate what I had sent 
them. 

I now had an opportunity of seeing at close range the 
result of what we had Avitnessed at a distance the preceding- 
Sunday — the great fire. I learned that, on that day, four 
million dollars worth of tobacco had been burned by order 
of (General Lee. It was no wonder then that there had 
been such an immense volume of smoke. Riding around 
the various parts of the city, I saw where buildings had 
been burned and also others that were still burning which 
had been fired by the enemy just previous to the evacuation 
of the city, so that we should not reap the fullest benefit of 
the capture. Those of our troops that first entered the city, 
did their utmost to extinguish the fires. 

After my return to Fort McOilvery, I found that my ride 
into and through the city had been injurious to me as 1 had 
not yet fully recovered from the wound received on March 
25th. I was seized with an internal hemorrhage, and my 
boys were greatly frightened. The surgeon was called, 
and I was ordered to keep very (juiet. I felt that I 
ccHild now do so, for T had had the satisfaction of pro- 
curing some tobacco for the men which I knew afforded 
them much gratification. "A contended mind is a con- 
tinual feast," and that feast I had as I lay tliere in my 
bunk. 



SIEGE OF PETERSBURG. CONCLUDED. 277 

It was a general holiday for most of the troops lying 
before Petersburg ; such a holiday as we had never had 
since the war began. IMy young son, Louis H. Roemer, and 
Mr. L. Budenbender, our worthy Battery sutler, came up 
from our caisson camp to congratulate the boys of the 34th 
on their successful tight and the capture of Petersburg. The 
news appeared to electrify every one. "How must our 
folks at home feel at this news since we ourselves feel so 
happy over it?" inquired our worthy sutler. 



CHAPTER XVI 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINU.TOX. THE GRAND 
REVIEW. 

WHILE in Petersburg on the morning- of Ai)ril 4th, I 
learned that the 46th New York Infantry and the 
1st Michigan Sharpshooters were the regiments that had 
charged and carried the fort in front of Fort McGilvery on 
the morning of April 3d. The 46th was a tighting regi- 
ment, and I remember that when, on the night of March 
24th. the 46th Infantry and the 34th Battery were on the 
road to Fort McGilvery, and were passing some regiment or 
battery, the latter would sing out, "Roemer, where are you 
going with your Battery?" and I would answer, "To Fort 
McGilvery." Then they would ask, "Who are your sup- 
ports .' '" and the answer would be, "The 46th New York," 
and to this they would respond, "Then we will have a fight 
by G — ." It hrul usually happened that whenever the 46th 
New York Infantry and the 34th New York Battery went 
out together on the skirmish line or, in fact, anywhere, it 
was considered a foregone conclusion that a fight was at 
hand. This had been generally remarked all along the 
lines, and thus the reputation of the two organizations had 
become well established in the Ninth Corps and also in other 
Corps. 

The 34th New ^'ork Battery had been, at different times, 
christened with <]uitc odd names, both by our own troojis 



RETURN FROM PETPrRSBl'RG TO WASHINGTON. 279 

and by rebel regiments ; at Spottsylvania, where our black 
pills proved too effective to suit the rebels, the latter shook 
their lists and shouted, "You red-whiskered devil, if we 
catch you, we will have you drawn and quartered with four 
yoke of oxen/" Such threats naturally made us very much 
afraid of them, for we did not want to experience such treat- 
ment at their hands, but we consoled ourselves with the re- 
flection that they were not at all likely to capture us. 

This same day, April 4th, all the troops then in front of 
Petersburg- were ordered to march out and join in the pur- 
suit of Lee and his army, ^rhich was then retreating on the 
road to Danville. 

The 34th New York Battery (Brevet-Major Roemer), the 
7th Maine Battery (Capt. Twitchell), and the 14th Massa- 
chusetts Battery (Capt. Wright) were ordered to remain 
where they were and await further orders. These three bat- 
teries were placed under my command. We did not go with 
the other troops in pursuit of Lee because of my wound re- 
ceived on March 25th. We were to do "Home Guard" 
duty, as it were, and look after the Confederate artillery and 
ammunition captured by the Ninth Corps when it took the 
rebel works in its front. I was ordered to make a careful 
inspection of them, classify them, and then turn the whole 
over to the ordnance officer of the Ninth Corps. The cap- 
tured artillery comprised three liatteries — one of six-pounder 
Parrot rifles, much the worse for wear, a second, of six- 
pounder bronze smooth-bore Napoleons, and a third of 
twelve-pounder bronze smooth-bore Napoleons, that had 
never been in use — two ten-inch mortars loaded and ready 
to be fired, and 3, 200 rounds of shot and shell. The new 
bronze battery was one that had been cast in Richmond, and 
had many defects in the way of pits or sand-blasts in the 
bore of every piece. Some of these pits were so deep that 
I could A'ery easily detect them with my mirrors, as they 



2 0O REMINISCE^•CES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

were from one-fifth to one-fourth of an inch deep. These 
defects I reported to the ordnance officer when I turned the 
guns over to him. 

I received orders on April 5th to take my three batteries 
and two others to City Point, Va. We arrived there at 5 
p. M. . and went into camp on the north side of the road. 
The ground was totally unfit for an artillery camp, but as 
the weather was fine we did not mind the ground so much. 
]\Iy son, Louis, and Mr. Budenbender, our Battery sutler, 
went with us. The next day, April 6th, I suffered much 
from my wound in consequence of this ten-mile march, be- 
cause I had ridden the whole distance on my horse, and thus 
had overworked myself. The surgeon told me very plainly 
I must keep quiet, very quiet, indeed, or he would not be 
answerable for my life. I v.'as thereupon relieved from duty, 
the command being temporarily assigned to Lieut. J. J. 
Johnston. My wound was very painful and I was very glad 
indeed, of the rest that relief from active duty afforded. 

On the 7th the Battery changed position to better ground 
outside the works, in the direction of Petersburg. At 2 p. m., 
while lying in my bunk, almost unable to move, word came 
for all guards to turn out, as President Lincoln was passing 
through City Point on his way from Richmond to take the 
boat for Washington, accompanied by Gen. Willcox and at- 
tended by a numerous staff. As I greatly desired to see our 
illustrious President once more, I called my servant, and 
with his help, I rose up sufficiently to look out through the 
front of my tent, which was thrown wide open. As the 
head of the column reached the front of my tent, which 
stood close to the road, I saw Gen. Willcox speak to the 
President, who was riding between Gen. Willcox and another 
general, whose name I do not remember. The President 
drew nearer to my tent and greeted me with a pleasant 
smile, at the same time raising his hat to me as I lay on my 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINGTON. 201 

couch. I shall never forget that smile, for it is too deeply- 
engraven upon my memory for time to efface. His face 
seemed to be illumined with something unearthly. He was 
on his way to the nation's capital, whence he would soon 
announce to the world that what had been was now past — 
four long years of strife. His pure soul shone through his 
eyes, and as one looked at them, he would feel convinced 
that President Lincoln had, nearest his heart, the welfare 
and glory of his country. 

The next day I was busy the whole day making out, with 
the help of the battery clerk, the quarterly ordnance returns 
for the first quarter of 1865, and the monthly quartermaster, 
animal, and forage returns for the previous month, Alarch^ 
1865. In the afternoon of April 9th, a telegram was received 
at City Point from Gen. Granfs headquarters, announcing 
that Gen. R. E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, had 
surrendered at Appomattox Court House, to Lieut. -Gen. U. 
S. Grant, commanding the armies of the United States. 
This put the finishing touch to the glorification begun with 
the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, formed the last of a 
series of brilliant victories gained for the union by the Army 
of the Potomac and the Army of the James, and heralded 
the return of permanent peace throughout our glorious coun- 
try. It seemed almost too good to be true, that the contest 
was really at an end, and that soon we should return to our 
homes laden with honors. 

I transmitted my ordnance and quartermaster's returns to 
the War Department, Washington, the next day, April loth, 
by mail. The following day, news came that all the rebel 
troops in Lynchburg, Va. , had surrendered. This occa- 
sioned renewed gratification. The 12th was spent in writ- 
nig out a history of the 34th New York Independent V. V. 
Light Battery, to be sent to His Excellency Governor E. D. 
Morgan, of New York, as a part of the history of all the bat- 



282 REMINISCEN'CES OF MAJOR ROEMEK. 

teries of artillery sent out from that State. It rained the 
whole morning, and when it rains in Virginia, it rains, as 
the darkies say, "for fair." On the 13th, warrants for the 
non-commissioned officers were made out. Rain again fell 
heavily. On the 14th, was celebrated the anniversary of 
the surrender of Fort Sumter. At that place the iiag that 
was lowered April 14, 1861, was again raised over it, April 
14, 1865, by the same hands that lowered it, Gen. Robert 
Anderson, in the presence of a most distinguished company. 
This day the rain was still heavy and the weather very cold, 
for April, in Virginia. 

April 15th, 1865. How can I describe this day ! This 
day it was reported that President Lincoln had been assas- 
sinated in his box at Ford's Theater in Washington, by John 
Wilkes Booth, during the evening of April 14, 1865. Hardly 
had the face of our beloved President faded from our view, 
when we received this terrible news. The news spread like 
wild-fire among the troops, and every one was horror- 
stricken. "Oh, for the fiend that did the deed,"' was on 
every soldier's lip, and all were ready to tear him limb from 
limb. To think that only seven days before he had passed 
us with such brilliant prospects before him, with such bright 
hopes in his heart, and so beloved by every soldier that it 
was dangerous for any one to utter a harsh word against 
him in their presence, and now, to think that a cowardly 
assassin had put an end to his life, was almost too much for 
belief. At the City Point Hospital there were rebel patients 
as well as Union ones. When the news of Lincoln's assas- 
sination was received there, a rebel remarked that Lincoln 
was well out of the way : he was immediately attacked by 
the crippled Union soldiers with their crutches and, had the 
surgeons not interfered, would certainly have been killed. 

This same day the Battery was to have been inspected, 
but, because of the heavy rains that had been falling the 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINGTON. 283 

last few days, as well as because of the sad news received, 
the inspection was postponed till further orders. The next 
day, the i6th, 1 was confined to my cot all day, unable to 
move. The Battery changed camp on the 1 7th in obedience 
to orders requiring- all the batteries of the Ninth Corps to be 
massed preparatory to moving. All stores were also or- 
dered to be drawn without delay. On the i8th Gen. Will- 
cox and staff (including Major Brackett), besides other ofti- 
cers of the Ninth Corps, visited me in my tent. We talked 
over past events and discussed the possibility of our soon 
returning to our respective homes. On the 19th there was 
a battery drill with four pieces. Part of the day was spent 
in arranging the camp and putting everything in complete 
order. On the 20th the mess account of the men entitled to 
a commutation tor rations while on their veteran furlough, 
was made out to be presented for payment. The number 
of men was forty-nine, each of whom would receive six dol- 
lars and thirty cents. 

The Battery was inspected on the 21st by a lieutenant of 
the 5th U. S. Artillery, who found everything connected with 
the Battery to be in the best of order. The same day I re- 
ceived another visit from Gen. Willcox and staff and other 
Ninth Corps ofticers, all of whom expressed the hope I would 
be able to go with them when the order came to move. 
The next day orders came for the Battery to be ready to em- 
bark on a steamer at a moment's notice, with four days' 
forage and seven days" rations. On the morning of the 23d, 
the members of the Battery were paid by Major Wiley, and 
at 2 p. M. came an order to embark the 34th and 19th New 
York Batteries, and the 207th Pennsylvania Volunteers on the 
screw steamer, Davis, at 3 p. m. All were on board by 6 p. m. 

The steamer left City Point at 4 .\. m. on the 24th for Fort 
Monroe, and arrived there at 12:30 x. m. on the 25th. Here 
the steamer grounded, but after a few hours' delay floated 



284 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

off again, and at 5 a. m. started off and' steamed up Chesa- 
peake Bay and the Potomac River, and arrived at Alexan- 
dria at 5 p. M. on the 25th. Here the Battery landed the 
next day in pursuance of orders received through the cap- 
tain of a gunboat, and went into camp for the night, two 
and one-half miles west of the city. The day was very 
warm. The grass in the field where the Battery encamped 
was fully twelve inches high, and the horses thoroughly ap- 
preciated it, especially as it was the first fresh grass they 
had had this season. I now reported to Col. Ely command- 
ing 2(1 Brigade, First Division, Ninth Corps. 

The next day, the 27th, orders came to make out the mus- 
ter and pay rolls to April 30th. The same day the Battery 
was moved to Fort Ellsworth, on the road to Fairfax Court 
House, where was found fine ofrazing- for the horses and 
good camp ground for artillery. The 19th New York (Cap- 
tain Rogers), the 27th New York (Captain Easton), the 34th 
New York (Captain Roemer), and Battery D, Pennsylvania 
Artillery (Captain Rhoads), were encamped together. While 
here the Battery was visited by Captain Miller, A. A. Insp. 
Gen., Ninth Corps, who complimented us on the efficiency 
and trimness of the Battery. Here also we learned of the 
capture and death of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of 
President Lincoln, in a barn near Port Royal, on the right 
or south bank of the Rappahannock River. 

Copies of the muster and pay-roll of April 30th were sent 
to the Adjutant General U. S. A., at Washington, D. C. , and 
to the Adjutant General of New York, at Albany, May ist. 
The monthly quartermaster's returns of camp and garrison 
equipage, animals and forage, were also sent to Washing- 
ton. On the 3d, the Battery's sutler, Mr. Budenbender, 
opened his booth for the accommodation of the men, as no 
passes were granted to cross Long Bridge to Washington. 
Orders came May 5th to draw twenty-eight hcirses and to 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINGTON. 285 

put the Battery in complete order for active service. Two 
days later the history of the Battery, both as Battery L, 2d 
New York Artillery, and as the 34th New York Indep. V. V. 
Light Battery, from 1861 to 1865, was completed and sent 
by mail to Col. L. L. Doty, Chief of the Bureau of Military 
Statistics for the State of New York, at Albany, New York. 
On the 9th the Battery was inspected in mounted drill, pre- 
paratory to going to Texas. Two days later occurred the 
heaviest rain and hail storm I ever saw ; the hailstones were 
often as large as pigeon's eggs, and greatly damaged the 
trees and growing crops of all kinds. 

On the I 2th, the Second and Fifth Corps arrived and passed 
us going into camp, near Alexandria, to prepare for the grand 
review. Later Sherman's army also passed and went into 
camp, near Alexandria, for the same purpose. When the 
news of the surrender of Kirby Smith's forces was received 
in camp, the boys were happy, because the trip to Texas 
was thus made no longer necessary, and a speedy return 
home was now sure. For this reason also, mounted drills 
were discontinued. 

My wife, two daughters, Louise and Clara, and one son, 
Louis H. Roemer, my wife's sister, Mrs. Budenbender, wife 
of our sutler, and her son, George, were visiting me at Mount 
Eagle Farm, near Fort Ellsworth. They had the pleasure 
of seeing Gen. Sherman's army pass by. Such a sight as 
that army presented, I do not think was ever presented be- 
fore. IMany of the men were shoeless ; very many were 
coatless ; and many were also even hatless. Some carried 
frying-pans while others carried tin cups, and there were 
some who wore pieces and rags of blankets strapped on 
their backs. All, however, were so happy at seeing the 
ladies that they cheered the latter most heartily. My wife 
said to them, " You are all good and brave boys," and then 
the cheers were renewed ; all the country round echoed and 



286 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

re-echoed with the shouts of the hoys who had done so much 
for their country. 

I was very glad that so many of my family were enabled 
to witness these sights as well as the grand review, which 
taken all in all, is the grandest recorded in history. We, of 
the 34th New York Battery, were now also permitted to take 
part in this review through Kirby Smith's surrender. On 
the 2 2d orders came to march to Washington and go into 
camp on Capitol Hill, then an open tield, and prepare for 
the great review. All the troops were assigned to their 
camps in such a way that they could fall into line for this 
review without interfering one with the other. Our friends 
soon learned that the Battery had arrived in Washington, 
and they quickly found their way to our camp. During the 
evening of INIay 2 2d a large number of friends visited us, 
among whom was a fellow-townsman, Joseph Bedell. 

Mrs. Kimball, our Sanitary Commission friend, also t\)und 
us and claimed the honor of decorating the Battery for the 
morrow's parade. She was on hand the next morning, 
bright and early, accompanied by a corps of assistants bear- 
ing wreaths of laurel and bouquets of flt)wers. They placed 
the wreaths upon the muzzles of the guns and gave the bou- 
quets to the officers and men. When the decoration of the 
guns was completed, Mrs. Kimball came to me and said, 
"Major Roemer, I am thankful for this ])ri\ilege, for 1 can 
thus, in a measure, repay you and your men for your kind- 
nesses to me and my associates during our visits to you and 
your boys in front of Petersburg in the summer of 1864. " 
It was to be a proud and joyous day for us all, and it was 
eminently htting that our guns antl caissons should be in 
gala dress on this festive occasion, and particularly because 
they had performed their full duty in the late contfict. 

The morning of May 23d dawned bright and clear. Every- 
body in the cam])s of the Army of the Potomac that extended 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINGTON. 287 

from Capitol Hill to the Navy Yard, a distance of two miles 
or more, and were occupied by a mighty number of men 
and a great mass of implements of war, was actively en- 
gaged in preparing for the grand march past the highest 
ofticers of the National (iovernment. But through all this 
joyful excitement there ran a vein of sadness, for, after this 
day, those who had been close associates for months and 
years, were to part, never to meet again, perhaps, this side 
of eternity. Only old soldiers can know what close attach- 
ments may be formed on the battleheld, and how strong 
and enduring such attachments are. 

At 10 A. M. , came the order to be ready to march. Soon 
the head of the column started ; the grand review had begun. 
The glitter of the bayonets as the bright rays of the sun fell 
upon them was almost ent)ugh to l)lind those who observed 
it. Such a magnificent sight had never been witnessed 
before. There is no record of so large an army being massed 
in so small a space even in the time of the great Napoleon. 
Where have we read of the assembling of one-fifth of a 
million soldiers, a body, whose camps covered nearly four 
square miles and composed, too, of the flower of the land.? 
These men had fought on hundreds of battlefields and 
hundreds of miles apart ; had marched miles and miles along 
rough and broken roads, through miry swamps, across deep 
and dangerous rivers, over steep mountains, and through 
narrow valleys, working and fighting night and day as they 
went on ; and had, at last, achieved a victory over all 
obstacles and every foe. 

To show what distances were frequently tra\ersed by 
various commands in the Union army, a single instance 
will suffice. Our battery — then Battery L, 2d New York 
Artillery — left Falmouth, Ya., Feb. 5, 1863, for the west 
with the Ninth Corps detachment commanded by General 
John G. Parke, and arrived at Yicksburg, [une 18th. During 



2 00 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

this time the number of miles passed over by the battery, 
would be, counting all marches made, not much less than 
twenty-five hundred miles. 

But the reader may be becoming impatient to learn of the 
grand review as we of the Battery saw it and took part in 
it. At 10:30 A. M. , we were on the march and just entering 
Pennsylvania Avenue from the eastern side of the Capitol. 
The battery had been assigned to the first battery position 
behind General Parke and staff at the head of the Ninth 
Corps column, and we felt our importance mightily. We 
marched battery front : our line stretched from curb to curb, 
along which, on either side, cavalry were posted to keep 
back the immense throng of people. There were twenty- 
seven horses abreast in the front line of pieces, and allowing 
three and one-half feet to each horse and rider, one can 
easily calculate the space covered. It was in what might 
be called a solid column closely packed. The whole column 
was equally solid throughout its entire length. One can 
easily imagine it must have been, when informed, that 
sixty-four thousand men passed the reviewing stand inside 
of four hours. 

As the Battery wheeled to the right into Fifteenth Street 
at the Treasury Building, I had for the first time an oppor- 
tunity to look back towards the Capitol at the marching 
column, and what a sea of heads and what a forest of 
bayonets were behind us. While passing the Treasury the 
cannoners of the Battery, sitting erect on the limber and 
caisson chests with folded arms, looked like so many 
statues. Then the Battery wheeled to the left into Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue again and advanced to pass the grand 
reviewing stand at the White House. At this point were 
assembled the highest officers of the government, both civil 
and military, President Andrew Johnson, Lieutenant-General 
Grant, Major-Gcncral Sherman and very many others. The 



RETURN FROM PETERSBURG TO WASHINGTON. 289 

absence of President Lincoln caused sadness in every heart, 
and Major-General Sheridan was also missed. Each officer 
saluted in passing, and in turn received a salute from the re- 
viewing officers. As soon as the Battery had passed the 
reviewing stand it was dismissed from the parade, and then 
returned to its former camp ground at Fort Ellsworth, on 
the Virginia side of the Potomac, while the troops compos- 
ing the armies of Gen. Sherman, which were to be reviewed 
the next day, the 24th, took our places on Capitol Hill to be 
ready for the march. The troops reviewed the first day 
were those belonging to the Ninth Corps under Maj.-Gen. 
Parke, the Fifth under Maj.-Gen. Griffin, and the Second, 
inuler Maj.-Gen. Humphreys, with Sheridan's Cavalry 
Corps under Maj.-Gen. Merritt, in the lead, while Maj.- 
Gen. Meade headed the column. 

Upon reaching the bridge to cross the Potomac, I turned 
the command over to Lieut. Heasley, and returned to Penn- 
sylvania Avenue to call on Mr. Riggs, then the chief banker 
in Washington, at his establishment opposite the Treasury 
Building. When we met, he said, " Major Roemer, allow 
me to congratulate you and your command on the magnifi- 
cent showing you made to-day. That ' left wheel " you 
made opposite my door here was a credit to you, your com- 
mand, and the Nation. In fact, it was the finest Battery 
wheel made by any battery that passed. As your Battery 
was the first to march past, I particularly observed it, and 
determined to watch the others and compare them with 
yours. Your line was so straight and compact that I could 
not count the horses, and so must ask you how many you 
had in the front line." I replied that there were twenty- 
seven. He then continued: "They were certainly well 
trained or they could never have performed the part they 
did this day. I really saw the fire fly as their hoofs struck 
the pavement. How those on the outside flank going at a 



290 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

g-allop could keep the straight line they did during the 
wheel, seems to me to be something marvelous. Had I 
not seen it myself. I could not believe it to be possible, 
that such a feat could be accomplished by an animal." 
After some further conversation, I bade Mr. Riggs good-by 
and rode off down the avenue to meet my wife and daughters 
and the friends who were waiting for me. In company 
with them, I found Major Miller, Acting Inspector of the 
Ninth Corps, who was congratulating them on the splendid 
behavior and fine appearance of the Battery during the 
review. When I had come up and dismounted, the major 
seized me by the hand and said. " ^lajor, we ought to be 
proud of a country that can show such soldiers as passed in 
review to-day. Just think of it, only the Army of the 
Potomac was reviewed to-day. and yet there were nearly 
70,000 men in line." So ended the first day of the grand 
review.* 

The next day. the 24th. I had an opportunity of beholding 
the mighty columns of Gen. Sherman's armies as they passed 
in review. These columns were composed of the Army of 
the Tennessee, commanded by Gen. John A. Logan, con- 
sisting of the Fifteenth Corps, under Gen. Hazen, and the 
Seventeenth Corps, under Gen. F. P. Blair, and the Army of 
Georgia, commanded by Gen. H. W. Slocum, consisting of 
the Fourteenth Corps, under Gen. J. C, Davis, and the Twen- 
tieth Corps under Gen. Mower. (The Army of the Cumber- 
land was not present). These armies passed in review in 
just the same way they marched through Georgia, South 
Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, carrying the camp 

*I will here mention that I still have in my possession, one of the 
laurel wreaths with which the Battery's guns were decorated during the 
review, and that I cherish it as a most valued trophy of the occasion, and 
as a memento of the many kindnesses shown to the Battery by Mrs, 
Kimball and the other ladies who prepared the decorations. 



RETURN" FROM PETERSHIRG TO WASHINGTON. 29I 

and field equipments they had brought from Georgia, or had 
picked up during their march thence to Washington. These 
equipments were of all sorts, shapes and sizes. Following 
the troops were the infantry, cavalry and artillery baggage 
wagons, in or on which were carried goats, ducks, chick- 
ens, pigs, dogs, opossums, raccoons, monkeys, parrots, 
canary birds and eagles. All these had been so tamed and 
trained that they kept their places as the soldiers did theirs. 
There were also negro boys and girls occupying the places 
assigned them in this grand review. Each brigade was fol- 
lowed by its company of '' bummers "' or foragers, dressed 
in the strange, fantastic and ragged garb they had worn on 
the march through Georgia and the Carolinas. The sights 
presented were, at times, very amusing and quite mirth- 
provoking, but when one looked at the soldiers themselves, 
he could see by their bearing that they were thorough soldiers. 

The men in these armies had not had any opportunity of 
fixing up. to any e.xtent. for they had arrived near Washing- 
ton from their long march through Xorth Carolina and Vir- 
ginia only a dav or two before the grand review. To me 
it was a grand sight, and such a spectacle, I do not believe, 
was ever seen before, or will ever be seen again, it was too 
unique. 

The behavior of the animals, the pets of the different regi- 
ments, was truly wonderful. Nothing seemed to frighten 
them in the least. They looked around as unconcernedly as 
if they were in camp in their usual quarters, and seemed to 
feel perfectly at home. They had been carried by the boys 
for hundreds, perhaps, thousands of miles, and formed a 
very peculiar and distinctive feature of the parade, and 
some of them were roundly applauded by the spectators. 
Whether the horses or mules walked or trotted made no 
difference to them : they looked around at the sights and 
appeared as deeply interested in the show as were many of 



292 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

the country folks present. The only difference lay in this, 
that they were perfectly familiar with the different divisions 
of the Armies, while the country folks were not. 

As an illustration of the familiarity with the troops, guns, 
etc., I will relate the career of a pet belonging- to the Bat- 
tery. While the Battery was in Kentucky early in 1863, the 
boys found a young crow and raised it. When able to fly 
it wouid hunt out its master in camp wherever he might be, 
and soon became acquainted with the entire command. 
Any one in the Battery could handle him, but he had to be 
treated just so : if any one ill-treated him. he was no longer 
regarded as a friend. His "post of honor'' was the limber 
chest whereon his master sat when on the march. If this 
man was not at his post, the bird would occupy the seat 
and await his coming. The cannoneers belonging to a gun 
detachment are numbered from one to eight. The crow's 
master was No. 6, and whenever the bird saw that every- 
thing was ready for a march, he would fly to No. 6's place, 
and sit there as if awaiting orders. 

It was emphatically an artillery bird through and through, 
for he never made friends with a soldier belonging to the 
infantry or the cavalry : he was always perfectly at home 
with the Battery boys. This crow went from Kentucky to 
Vicksburg, with the Battery, went through the Siege of 
Vicksburg, thence to Jackson, and back to Vicksburg, and 
up the Missisippi on the steamer. On this boat with us was 
a regiment of infantry. While it was approaching Memphis, 
an infantry soldier passed the limber chest whereon the 
crow was sitting, and scared him. He flopped off the chest 
on the port side of the boat, and before he could recover 
himself fell into the water. Precisely at that moment, another 
steamer going up the river, as we were ourselves, against 
the current, passed close to our boat, and the surge from 
the steamer's wheel kept the bird down and engulfed him ; 



THE GRAND REVIEW. 293 

and then, our precious crow was gone. Naturally, the boys 
felt the loss keenly, for it had been with them so long, and 
had helped to pass in fun many an otherwise dreary hour in 
camp. I also felt the loss greatly. If the Colonel of the 
regiment and I had not interfered, the poor infantryman, 
who had been the cause of the loss, would have fared very 
badly at the hands of the boys of the Battery. 

The keeping of such pets was generally allowed and often 
encouraged by commanding officers, for it tended to pro- 
mote harmony among the men. Isolated, as they were, 
from all domestic life, they seemed to need something upon 
which to lavish their affections, and with which they could 
amuse themselves when off duty. 

The Battery boys used also to engage in various outdoor 
games, and often came to my tent to ask the quartermaster 
and myself to join them in these games. We generally ac- 
ceded to their requests and took part with them, for we 
knew it would please them, and that it tended to make them 
feel more contented. Furthermore, this action of ours made 
stubborn and morose men more tractable and obedient, 
when they saw that their officers were in sympathy with 
them. These games frequently dispelled gloomy thoughts 
and feelings of home sickness. 

But to return to the review of Sherman's armies ; they 
made a most excellent showing, that reflected great credit 
upon themselves, their great commander and the Nation. 
Thus ended the second and last day of the grand review. 
The world has never before seen and, in all probability, will 
never again see, such a review so unique in so many respects. 

We, of the 34th. saw these troops of Sherman's armies 
again as they returned from the review and passed our camp 
near Mount Eagle Farm, on their way to their camps, happy 
ill the thought that the time when they should return to their 
homes was rapidly drawing near. 



294 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Here I would like to speak of one feature of Sherman's 
army that, I think, is not generally rightly understood, and 
has been the cause of many slurs cast upon that magnificent 
army by hostile critics, and that feature is the so-called 
"Bummers' Brigade." In the march from Atlanta to the 
sea, the "bummers" or rather " foragers" always marched 
in front of the army and on its flanks, and kept their weather 
eye open for any and everything in the shape of food and 
incidentally for other things and not the least of all, for all 
movements of the enemy's troops and were often the ones 
who gave the first warnings of the approach of the enemy 
to the commanding officers. It is a certain fact that the 
army was at times almost wholly dependent upon these 
foragers for its means of subsistence. 

I should judge from their appearance that everybody and 
everything would certainly give way to them and deliver to 
them whatever was demanded, without a single thought of 
resistance, for they had the determined look of men who 
were bound to have whatever they undertook to obtain. 
They wore broad-brimmed slouch hats of the Mexican 
"greaser" style, that gave them a genuine dare-devil look. 
When smoke-houses well filled with hams and bacon, or 
chicken coops well stocked with fowls, came in tlieir way, 
the contents thereof were confiscated without any particular 
ceremony. Even barns and corn cribs were far from safe 
from their visits, for, as they had horses and mules, hay, 
oats, corn and other cereals, had to suffer with the rest. If 
their arms were not long enough to secure what they wanted 
without trouble, they called in strategy to assist them in 
obtaining it. If it happened that the supplies found were 
too abundant for their means of transportation, and these 
were always limited, and there would be no chance for 
going back for them, they carried off what they could and 
made a bonfire of the remainder. As the section of country 



THE GRAND REVIEW. 295 

through which Sherman's army marched, had long been and 
still was, the granary of the Confederacy, and thus had 
supplied the southern armies with the sinews of war, it was 
sound policy to take or destroy. 

Sheridan's cavalry corps, which was reviewed in connec- 
tion with the army of the Potomac, as previously stated, 
was a splendid body of men, which had performed most 
valuable services during the last year of the war. This 
arm of this service was, as is well known, sadly neglected 
in the northern armies at the beginning of the war, and in 
this respect the Confederates had a very great advantage 
over us Our troops were not adepts in lighting cavalry 
and had much to learn in this particular. It was soon 
discovered that it helped matters wonderfully to have 
cavalry as well as infantry supports for the artillery. 
Napoleon is said to have remarked on one occasion, that 
"Providence was on the side of the heaviest battalions," 
and I can vouch for the truth of his remark so far as it 
applies to artillery. Well served cannon form an all-powerful 
factor on the battlefield. 

My experience during the war taught me that thousands 
of shots were fired to no purpose whatever, as they went 
too high to do good execution. Against an infantry charge, 
they more often flew over the heads of the charging 
columns than not. Low tiring in such a case, with the fire 
directed at the feet of the charging line, would be far more 
likely to break the force of the charge, than when the tire is 
otherwise directed. In attempting to break the force of a 
cavalry charge, I found it particularly effective to fire quite 
low so as to strike the horses' legs, for, when a cavalry man 
loses his horse in a charge, he is, for the time, as much 
disabled as if he were wounded, and is, furthermore, liable 
to be ridden down, and either killed or injured by the 
onward rush of the charging column. Thereafter, I always 



296 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

ordered the gunners to aim at the feet of the men in an 
infantry charge, and at the legs of the horses in a cavalry 
charge. After adopting this plan, the Battery never failed 
in breaking a charge with from two to five rounds by 
battery fire, and I am convinced that if the enemy had used 
this same plan at all such times, our losses on many battle- 
fields would have been fully three times as great as they 
actually were. 

The Battery has often maintained its position on the 
battlefield with six pieces against ten. and at Manassas, 
August 29th, 1862, it had but three guns with which to fight 
ten of the enemy, and yet it maintained its position there 
from 3 to 7 p. M., and not only did that but also had, by the 
latter hour, silenced all but one of the rebel ten, and their 
men, horses and guns had become so thoroughly disabled 
that the batteries had to yield to the inevitable and give up 
the fight. Battery L, as it was then named, on the con- 
trary, had neither man nor horse so disabled as to be unfit 
for duty. I have always regarded this battle as affording 
conclusive evidence of the truth of my opinion that firing 
low is the more effective method. I also recognize the 
hand of Providence in it, that Battery L was preserved from 
injury in that most disastrous battle. 



CHAPTER XVlll. 



HOMEWARD BOUND. THE BATTERY MUSTERED OUT. 

Immediately after the grand review, all organizations, 
regiments, batteries, troops, etc., of the volunteers, in 
the several armies collected in and around Washington be- 
gan preparing for their muster-out and return to their re- 
spective homes. Those belonging to Sherman's armies were 
sent to Capitol Hill, there to remain until the final ceremony 
of muster-out took place, as they were to be the first ones 
mustered out, and then those of the Army of the Potomac 
would go there in their turn for the same purpose. The 
"Flushing Battery" would then be transported back to its 
birthplace for the final separation of its members. All felt 
that the sooner the order came to return home the better it 
would be for every one. 

With the assistance of my officers and clerk, I now set to 
work to prepare the muster-out rolls and all the other neces- 
sary returns that must be made and transmitted to the War 
Department at Washington, D. C, and to the Adjutant (Gen- 
eral's Office of New York, at x\lbany. Complete and accur- 
ate returns of all government property in their possession 
must be made by all officers responsible for such property, 
after the property has been properly turned over to the rep- 
resentatives of the Ordnance and Quartermaster-General's 
Bureaus, and these returns, accompanied by the necessary 
vouchers, must be approved before such officers can l)e re- 



298 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

lieved of their responsibility and receive a discharge and 
full pay without any deductions. 

At that time much was said in the newspapers concerning 
the indebtedness of officers, and very many read these ac- 
counts without understanding how such indebtedness could 
arise, and wondered at it. I do not know that this matter 
was ever fully explained in print, and I will here show how 
it could happen. 

A captain or other officer commanding a battery of artil- 
lery, a company of infantry, or a troop of cavalry, obtains 
the proper amount of government property necessary for the 
use of his command by making a requisition for such prop- 
erty upon the officer in charge of it. When these supplies, 
arms, ammunition, camp and garrison equipage, etc., are 
received by such commanding officer, the officer issuing 
them gives duplicate invoices, while the officer receiving 
them gives duplicate receipts to the other. Returns of prop- 
erty, for which an officer is responsible, must be made 
monthly, 1)i-monthly, or quarterly, as required by Army 
Regulations, to the Quartermaster-General, Chief of Ord- 
nance, etc., giving an accurate account of the property un- 
der his control. With these returns must be sent a complete 
set of vouchers, showing how and from whom the different 
articles were received, and to whom and why transferred, 
how they were expended, or how they were otherwise dis- 
posed of. These returns must account for every single arti- 
cle received, transferred, issued, expended, lost, or destroyed, 
and the sum total of articles on hand, and expended, etc., 
must exactly correspond with the sum total of articles on 
hand at date of last report and since received. If, now, 
any officer responsible for government property loses any of 
his vouchers, or omits to account on his return for any sin- 
gle article, the value thereof, as fixed by the government, is 
charged against his pay account, and the value of the whole 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 299 

amount of property in his possession is charged against the 
same account if he fails to make the returns called for ; and 
if he cannot properly explain the matter or account for the 
missing articles, their value is deducted from the pay due 
him, and if there is not enough pay due him to square the 
account, he will be compelled to pay it out of any other re- 
sources he may happen to have, or submit to the sentence 
that will surely be imposed upon him. 

When, therefore, an officer has completed his term of ser- 
vice and desires to secure a settlement of his accounts, if he 
has been negligent in any way respecting his returns, and 
has, through carelessness lost any of his vouchers, or failed 
to account properly for all the property that has been under 
his control, he will find all this brought up against him at 
the final settlement, and he may find himself in debt to the 
government, although he may have been strictly honest and 
thoroughly honorable. As an illustration of this, I will cite 
the case of a Pennsylvania captain of artillery, on duty be- 
fore Petersburg, in 1864. His three years of service ended 
in the summer of that year. At the expiration of his term 
of service he forwarded his final returns to the War Depart- 
ment, and, according to his own calculation, about $800 
was due him for pay. 

His account was returned to him from the War Depart- 
ment, together with an account, which showed that he, him- 
self, was, on the contrary, indebted to the government to 
the tune of $1,500. Thus, it will be seen at once that "Un- 
cle Sam " has a way of keeping his oiificers straight. Now, 
in reality, this officer did not owe the government one dol- 
lar. This apparent deficit arose as a result of his careless- 
ness in the keeping of his accounts ; he had neglected to 
send the proper vouchers or had failed to account properly 
for articles drawn upon requisition. To clear himself, to ob- 
tain an honorable discharge, and to secure the pay really 



300 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

due him, he was compelled to g-o down on his knees before 
Gens. Burnside and Willcox, and solemnly declare on oath, 
that he was not a defaulter, but had been g'uilty of the gross- 
est carelessness in the keeping- of his accounts. 

On the 31st of May I received orders to turn over at once 
to the proper officers at the Washington Arsenal, all the 
property for which I was responsible, with the exception of 
such tents as would be necessary for use in sheltering offi- 
cers and men on our homeward march, and to be ready to 
proceed to Hart's Island, New York Harbor, State of New 
York, there to be mustered out of the United States service. 
I proceeded immediately to comi)ly with the requirements 
of this order, but, as the first of June had been set apart as 
a day of thanksgiving and prayer to God for His goodness 
to the country, in pursuance of orders dated IVIay 31st, 1865, 
War Department, U. S. A., the Battery waited until June 2d, 
when it crossed from Alexandria to Washington, arriving at 
9 A. M. All the government property under my control, ex- 
cept the tents above mentioned, one ambulance and one 
baggage wagon, were turned over to the Ordnance Officer 
and the Quartermaster on duty at the Arsenal. After this 
was done the Battery returned to Alexandria, while 1, my- 
self, remained in Washington till the next day, staying at 
Erhurfs Hotel in Eleventh street, for the night. By 6 p. m. , 
of June 2d, all my reports were finished, signed, and left with 
the proper officers for their examination and approval. The 
property turned OA'er consisted of : 

Four 3-inch rifled cannon and carriages. 

Six caissons complete with 1,098 rounds of shot and shell. 

One battery wagon and one forge — turned over to the 
Ordnance Officer — ninety-nine artillery horses with the same 
number of sets of harness, eight baggage wagon horses and 
one baggage wagon to Quartermaster Capt. Carl Pearce, of 
the Ninth Corps. 



HOxMEWARD BOUND. 301 

All my returns and reports were approved on June 3d. 
The next day, June 4th, were received General Orders No. 
17, dated, Headquarters Artillery Brigade, June 4, 1865, and 
Special Order No. 34, dated Headquarters Ninth Army Corps, 
June 4th, 1865, to be ready to march to Washington, D. C. , 
the next day, June 5th, en route for Hart's Island, New York 
harbor, and home. The Battery left Alexandria for Wash- 
ington on the morning of June 5th, and after the baggage 
had been left at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station, 
I proceeded to the Arsenal and turned over all the prop- 
erty over which I had control, except the tents, before 
mentioned, which would be turned over at Hart's Island. 
By 4 p. M. , all these matters were settled, and at 6 p. m. 
the Battery, consisting of five officers, 119 enlisted men, 
four servants and one laundress, 129 persons in all, left 
Washington for Baltimore, where it arrived at 1 1 p. m. 
It passed Havre de (irace at 6 a. ji., June 6th, and arrived 
at Philadelphia at 4 p. m., where it found awaiting it at the 
famous "Cooper Shop," a fine dinner, to which, I need not 
tell our Flushing friends, the Battery boys, did full justice. 
Many were the blessings bestowed by the men upon the 
good Philadelphians, who had contributed so freely to feed 
the hungry soldier boys. The men were on their good be- 
havior and I was proud of them. But having gone so far 
on our homeward journey, anxiety to reach home as soon 
as possible overmastered all other desires. Home ! How 
good that word sounded to us, that had braved the hard- 
ships of the march and the battle field for four long 
years ! 

We left Philadelphia soon after and arrived at Pier No. i, 
North River, New York, at 11:45 p- •"^'•' U^ne 6th. Leaving 
the Battery, which was provided with quarters at the 
"Battery Barracks" in charge of Senior First Lieutenant 
Heasley, I went on to Flushing, where I arrived at 5.40 



302 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

A. M., June yth, to give the people timely notice of the 
Battery's arrival. I took breakfast that morning by iiiA^ta- 
tion with our patriotic townsman and the Battery's treasurer 
during- the war, Mr. Henry Clement. Lieutenant J. J. 
Johnston and Ex-Lieutenant Alonzo Garretson were dis- 
patched to New York City to escort the Battery to Flushing. 
The Battery, under the command of Lieutenant Heasley, 
reached Flushing at 3 p. m. , June yth. 

The reception, given to the Battery by the citizens of 
Flushing, was an overwhelming one, and, doubtless, there 
are many still living in the village who will remember that 
joyful day. I can yet see the crowds tilling the street and 
cheering at the top of their voices as the brave boys of the 
34th New York Battery entered the village. Then, indeed, 
I felt proud of my men : all the hardships we had undergone 
seemed as nothing in view of this most hearty welcome 
home given us by the citizens of my adopted town. I 
know we marched down Main Street to the hotel where a 
splendid dinner was waiting for us, but how I reached the 
place I hardly know. Conducted by Mr. C. R. Lincoln, 
who took me by the arm, we marched through what seemed 
to me, a sea of faces on either side, while the assembled 
multitude shouted, hurrahed and showered us with flowers. 
We finally reached the hotel and were put in charge of my 
beloved pastor, the Rev. Dr. J. Carpenter Smith. He led 
me to the head of the table in the dining room, and then, in 
behalf of the citizens of Flushing, bade my command and 
myself partake of what they had provided tor Flushing's 
heroes. 

When I beheld that table so bountifully laden with all the 
delicacies of the season, my feelings quite overcame me, for 
I could not help recalling how often my brave boys, now 
seated before me, would have been glad to have a crust of 
bread to eat and a glass of water to moisten their parched 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 305 

lips and quench their burning thirst, and as I loolvcd at the 
well filled table before them, it did not seem to be real. 
However, I soon collected my wandering thoughts, and on 
looking around recognized the familiar faces of many of the 
good ladies of Flushing and many of her most prominent 
citizens. There I saw Luther C. Carter, Edward E. Mitchell, 
General and Colonel McDonald, Rev. Dr. J. C. Smith, R. C. 
Embree, Garrett Van Siclen, Captain George B. Roe, Pro- 
fessors E. A. Fairchild and A. P. Northrop, Henry Clement, 
Wm. R. Prince, \V. K. INIurray, J. K Murray, Charles R. 
Lincoln, Wm. Phillips, G. R. Garretson and many others 
whose names I cannot now recall. 

It greatly rejoiced my heart as I looked upon the bronzed 
faces of my men gathered around me, to see they were 
thoroughly enjoying the feast that had been prepared for 
them. They were war veterans, indeed, of four years' 
standing, and I know that history records no better fighting- 
than that done by the Flushing Battery. Near the close of the 
banquet, the following brief resume of the Battery's doings 
was given: "This Battery has taken part in 57 different 
engagements, has marched 18,758 miles, and thrown from 
its guns during this time over 56 tons of iron. The whole 
number of enlisted men that have belonged to it during its 
four years' career is 271, of whom 19 yielded up their lives 
in the service of their beloved country and 47 have been 
discharged for disabilities incurred in the field, through 
wounds or disease. Such" said I in conclusion, " is the 
record of "Flushing Battery," which was organized four 
years ago through the liberality of the citizens of Flushing 
to go into the field and assist in suppressing a most, if not 
the most gigantic rebellion." I thmk that those good and 
patriotic people of Flushing, who, with their beloved pastor 
at their head, so splendidly banqueted their country's 
defenders as represented by the 34th New York Lidependent 



304 REMINISCENCES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

Veteran Volunteers Light Battery* in such a grand and 
noble style, must even now feel proud of their kind and 
generous actions at that time, and must truly believe that 
the members of that Battery fully appreciated the honor 
conferred upon them. 

As soon as the banquet was over, the members of the 
Battery were furloughed to visit their friends, with orders to 
report at 10 a. m., June 9th, at the College Point Dock, to 
take the steamer for Hart's Island, to prepare for the final 
muster out. At 11 a. m. on that date, the Battery left Col- 
lege Point and arrived at Hart's Island at 12 o'clock noon. 
Here the men were quartered in the government barracks 
and the work of making out the muster-out and pay-rolls 
was begun without delay. I returned to Flushing the next 
day, Saturday, June loth, to pay some bills incurred in be- 
half of the Battery and to spend Sunday with my family. 
Many friends from New York and Flushing called on me 
that Saturday evening to pay their respects. I had sixty 
callers in all. It made me feel very happy to be once more 
with the folks at home and see how much I was thought of 
by them. 

On the 12th, I returned to the Island and found that no 
progress had been made in the muster-out rolls, as all but 
one of the lieutenants had taken leave of absence. Lieuts. 
Johnston and Balkie had gone away leaving Lieut. Durfee 
in command. I forthwith called in an extra clerk to hasten 
matters, fune 13th was one of the hottest days I ever ex- 
perienced, and being cpiite unwell with a fever hanging 
over me, I thought I could not possibly go through the day. 
I sent my son, Alexander, who was staying with me on the 
Island, to Flushing for his mother and sister. This day the 
first copy of the muster-out roll was finished and founil to 
need but little correction. 

*The only oruMiiized lioily of soldierss that went out from Fliishiiis?. 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 305 

At noon of the 14th, quite a party of ladies landed upon 
the Island. Among them were my wife and daughter, Mrs. 
Miller and Mrs. Hamilton. They were shown all through 
the barracks and the officers' quarters and then escorted 
down to the rebel prison pen where 273 rebel prisoners of 
war were confined. All these were dressed in rebel gray 
uniforms or what was left of them, and some were literally 
in rags, and very many looked as if a little soap and water 
would be beneficial to both faces and clothes. INIany of 
them had made little trinkets of wood they had obtained, 
and when the ladies passed by they asked the ladies to buy 
these trinkets. No one passed without either buying some- 
thing or giving them some small sum of money. When my 
wife passed them with me, one of them asked her for a five- 
cent stamp, and she took out her purse to give him one. 
This was a signal for about fifty of them to come crowding 
about the ladies and saying, "Good lady, give me a five- 
cent stamp to buy some tobacco." Having visited them 
myself previously and learned their tricks, I had advised the 
ladies, before going to the prison, to provide themselves 
with small change. To see the eager faces light up when 
they had received their gifts made it a pleasure to the 
visitors to contribute these trifling sums, although they 
were "giving aid and comfort to the enemy." 

These prisoners were served with the same kind of rations 
that were dealt out to our own soldiers, and here, at least, 
they did not die of hunger, as thousands of our poor fellows 
did at Anderson ville. The prison camp was at the north 
end of Hart's Island where they had a fine view of Long 
Island Sound. The prison camp was separated from our 
Union camp by a very strong twelve-foot fence. The 
entrance to the prison camp was through a very strong and 
massive door or gate. The whole camp was most strongly 
guarded by numerous sentries on land and by patrol boats 



3o6 REMINISCENXES OF MAJOR ROE.MER. 

on the water, and it was thus quite impossible for any one 
to escape from the island. 

At the south end of the island were the recruiting stations 
where the majority of all the New York Volunteers were 
mustered into the service- There were also a number of 
barrack buildings and officers' quarters fitted up with every 
convenience for men, and officers and all had a very pleasant 
time during their short sojourn in these fine quarters. Num- 
bers of ladies and gentlemen visited the island daily and all 
points of interest were shown to all who came. The rebel 
prisoners were the greatest attraction, and they were always 
•glad to see visitors for they had learned to know that the 
liberal hearts of northerners would respond to their appeals. 
One of them remarked to me once, "Your people are very 
kind to us.'' 

The muster-out rolls were completed at i p. m., June i6th 
and at once sent to the mustering officer. The next day 
was passed in making out discharge papers for all officers, 
non-commissioned officers and privates, (128 in all), except 
Private James D. Sprong, who had still to make up time lost 
by desertion. I was sick all day on the iSth and confined 
to my quarters with a fever ; I was therefore unable to go to 
Flushing as I had promised. On the 20th the last ordnance 
returns for this command were made out ; this was a very 
•easy matter as nearly everything had been turned over to 
the proper authorities at Washington on the 3d of June. At 
4 p. M., June 2ist, 1865, the members of the 34th New York 
Independent Veteran Volunteer Light Battery were mustered 
out of the service of the United States by the mustering 
officer. Lieutenant Uolan, 2d United States Infantry, and on 
the 24th all were paid off except the commanding officer. 
The members of the Battery now separated to go to their 
respective homes, and thus the military service of the Bat- 
tery came to an end. 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 307 

I was not paid off with the men because my accounts had 
not yet been audited at Washington, and it was not until the 
latter part of August that I received a notice from Washing- 
ton that they had been passed and found correct. With this 
notice I also received an order to go to the paymaster's 
office in Bleecker street. New York city, and receive my final 
payment. I went as directed, and when I presented my 
order to the paymaster, he remarked, '-I see, Major Roe- 
mer, a^ou are one of the luck}- ones, for, according to this 
order, your accounts are all straight." He then paid me the 
sum due. 

When the paymaster pronounced my name, several gen- 
tlemen came to me from the other side of the room, and one 
of them inquired, "Major Roemer, are you the same Roe- 
mer who was the captain of a battery before Fredericksburg, 
in December, 1862.'" "Yes," I replied. "Well, Major," 
he continued, " do you remember that very stormy day and 
night when my regiment came five miles from the rear to 
support your Battery during the night ? We had been on 
picket duty before the city, and when we arrived at your 
position we were wet to the skin. You and your men im- 
mediately set to work, although it was 9 o'clock at night, 
made, and served out to us several'kettles full of good hot 
coffee. Your extreme kindness to us on that occasion has 
never been forgotten, but has been referred to a thousand 
times by the officers and men of my regiment. All of them 
agreed that coffee never tasted better than on that stormy 
night before Fredericksburg. I am very glad to have the 
opportunity and honor of again thanking you for your kind- 
ness to us. '" 

I then learned that they had just discovered something. 
They had obtained rations from the Commissary, in 1862, 
while before Fredericksburg, and had had them charged to 
their account. Since that time they had drawn their pa)" 



3o8 REMIXESCENX'ES OF MAJOR ROEMER. 

regularly, but had not paid the Commissary, and had, doubt- 
less, thought the government had forgotten their indebted- 
ness to it. The Colonel told me he had had no idea that the 
Commissary's account still stood against him, and would be 
deducted from his pay. Yet here were the accounts of the 
Commissary showing what these officers had received and 
had not paid for. The result was that each had to pay his 
proper share of these subsistence accounts. 

I never had any subsistence stores charged to my account, 
but have, at times, had to borrow money to pay for them. 
I remember that after my return from the war, many a one 
said to me, from time to time, ''Well, Roemer, I suppose 
you made plenty of money while off to the war.'"' This 
often made me very indignant, but when I reflected that they 
did not know how exceedingly difficult it was for an officer 
to make any money beyond his pay, I let the matter pass. 



APPENDIX. 



REGISTER OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 



BATTERY L 2D X. Y. ART. AND 34TH \. Y. V. V. I.XD. LT. BATTERY. 

♦Mustered out with Battery, June 21st, 1865, per. S. 0. Xo. 34, 
H'd'q'rs Army of the Potomac, dated June 4, 1865. 



Xames. 



Captains. 
T. L. Robinson. 

*Jacob Roemer. 

First Lieutenants. 
Jacob Roemer. 

H. J. Standish. 
Wm. C. Rawolle. 

Moses E. Brush. 

*Thomas Heasley. 

Second Lieutenants. 
Wm. H. Hamilton. 
Wm. C. Rawolle. 

Wm. Cooper. 

J. Van Nostrand. 

Moses E. Brush. 

Thomas Heasley. 

Charles R. Lincoln. 

Alonzo Garretson. 

*J. J. Johnston. 

*Wm. E. Balkie. 

*George H. Durfee. 



D.\TE OF 

Commission. 



Dec. 4, '61. 
Mar. 4, '62. 

Dec. 4, '61. 

June 6, '62. 
June 6, '62. 

Oct. 25, '63. 

Feb. 26. '64. 

Dec. 4, '61. 
Dec. 4. '61. 

June 6, '62. 

June 6, '62. 

Xov. 29, '62. 

Oct. 25, '63. 

Feb. 26, '64. 

May 3, '64. 

Nov. 16, '64. 

Dec. 22, '64. 

April 22, "65. 



Remarks. 



Dismissed V. S. service, May 23, '62, 

to date Mar. 4, '62. 
Prom, from 1st Lieut., Commissioned 

Bvt Maj. Dec. 2, '64. 

Prom. Captain, to date from Mar. 4, 

'62. 
Resigned, Oct. 25, '62. 
App.A.D.C. toGen.Sturgis,June3, '62. 

Resigned from Battery, June 4, '62. 
Prom, from 2d Lieut. Resigned. Nov. 

8, '63. 
Prom, from 2d Lieut., A. A. A. G., Art. 

Brig., Oct. 3, '64, to May 23, '65. 

Resigned, Jan. 11, '62. 

Prom. 1st Lieut., May 23, '62, to date 
Mar. 4. "62. 

Prom, from 1st Sergt, May 23, '62. Re- 
signed, Oct. 8, '62. 

Prom, from Sergt, May 23, '62. Re- 
signed, Oct. 8, '62. 

Prom, from 1st Sergt, Oct. 8, '62. 
Prom. 1st Lieut., Oct. 25, '63. 

Prom, from 1st Sergt, Oct. 25, '6.3. 
Prom 1st Lieut., Jan. 1, '64. 

Joined as 2d Lieut, from civil life. 
Resigned, Mav 31, '64. 

Prom, from 16.5th X. Y. Vol Re- 
signed, Jan. 26, '65. Disability. 

Prom, from 1st Sergt, to date Jan. 
1, '65. 

Prom, from Q. M. Sergt, to date Jan. 
14, '65. 

Prom, from 14th X". Y., H. A. Xever 
mustered. 



3IO 



APPENDIX. 



REGISTER OF MEMBERS 

OF BATTERY L. 2D N. Y. ART. AND 34TH N. Y. V. V. IND. 
LIGHT BATTERY 1861-1865. 

R stands for re-enlisted in veteran organization, Nov. 15th, 1863. 
* marks those mustered out with the Battery, June 21st, 1865. 



Names. 



*Adams, Edward 
*Baine, James 
*Baird, Robert 
*Balkie, Wm. E. 

*Barnes, Wm. H. 
Bauer, John B. 

*Baumann, John 
*Baxter, Chas. W. 
*Beary, Lorenzo 

*Beck,Wm. 

Becker, Ludwig 
*Beddes, Richard 
*Bell, James M. 
Bennett, Alonzo 
*Bennett, John J. 
*Berndt, Wm. 
*Bernstrube, Fred. 
*Boelinlein, John 
Bohleyer, David 
Boland, Andrew 
*Boulanger, John 
Boyd, John T. 
Bracken, John 

♦Brewster, Wm. 
Briggs, Samuel 

Brill, Christ, Jr. 

Brill, Christ, Sr. 

Brister, Randolph 
Brown, James 

Brunnemer, Louis 
Brush, Moses E. 



Mustered 


INTO Service. 


Nov. 


16, 


'64. 


Mar. 


15, 


'64. 


Apr. 


13, 


'64. 


Nov. 


26, 


'61. 


Mar. 


25. 


'64. 


Oct. 


26, 


'61. 


Oct. 


23, 


'61. 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Mar. 


5, 


"64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Feb. 


29, 


'64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Feb. 


20, 


'64. 


Oct. 


29, 


'61. 


Oct. 


23, 


'61. 


Oct. 


29, 


'64. 


Oct. 


23, 


'61. 


Oct. 


23, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Nov. 


16, 


'64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Sept 


6, 


'64. 


Nov. 


16. 


'64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 



Remarks. 



Wounded Sept. 30, '64. 

R. Prom. Corp'l and Q. M. Serg't and 

2d Lieut., (See Com. Off.) 
!Wounded June 20, '64. 
R. Killed at P'ort McGilvery, Mar. 

25, '65. 
R. 
R. 
Prom. Corp'l Jan. 1, '65 and Serg't 

Feb. 25, '65. 
R. Disch. in '63 on account of wounds. 

Re-enlisted Feb 27, '64. 
Deserted June 4, '62. 
R. 

R. Prom. Serg't April 1, '64. 
Deserted May 29, '62. 

R. Wounded Sept. 30, '64. 

R. 

Deserted June 9, '62. 
Deserted. Never reported for duty. 
R. 

Discharged for disability, July 2, '62. 
R. Transf from 2d N. Y. Art., Aug. 18, 
'62. Deserted Dec. 31, '64. 

Drafted. Joined July 18, '64. Sent 

to Hosp., Aug. 20, '64. 
Discharged Sept. 30, '64. Expiration 

of service. 
Discharged Sept. 30, '64. Expiration 

of service. 
Discharged at hospital Apr. 28, '65. 
Deserted. Never reported for duty. 

Not on M. O. roll. 
R. Killed, Pegram Farm, Sept. 30, '64. 
Prom. 1st Serg't. May 23, '62, 2d 

Lieut, Oct. 8. '63, (See Com. Off.) 



APPENDIX. 



3" 



Names. 


Mustered 
INTO Service. 


Rem.\rks. 


Burger, Dominicus 


Aug. 


29, 


'61. 


Deserted Sept. 29, '61. 


Burke, Patrick 


May 


3, 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


*Burke, Richard 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. Transf. from 2d N. Y. Art, Aug. 
18, '62. 


*Cahill, John 


Oct. 


24, 


'64. 




*Campbell, Win. F. 


Mar. 


12, 


'64. 


Wounded slightly July 26, '64. 


Carpenter, Stephen 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged for disability July 2, '62. 


*Carr, Geo. H. 


Mar. 


20, 


'63. 


R. App. Artificer, April 1, '64. 


Case, John 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62. 


*Cavanagh, James 


June 


30, 


'62. 


R. 


Charlie, Joseph 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Deserted June 4, "62. 


Chatterson, Jesse 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Discharged Mar., '65, after release as 
prisoner of war. 


*Cochard, Oscar 


June 


26, 


'62. 


R. 


CoUinge. John 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62. 


Cork, Wm. 


Oct. 


2, 


'61. 


Discharged at Washington. Cause 
and date unknown. 


Cooper, Wm. 


Oct. 


1. 


'61. 


1st Serg't from muster in. Prom. 2d 
Lieut., May 23, '62, (See Com. Off.) 


*Cornell, Jas. C. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


R. Prom. Corp'l April 1, '64. Serg't 
Jan. 1, '65. Wounded Aug. 30, '62. 


Covert, Benj. C. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Died at Falmouth, Va., Nov. 26, '62. 
Heart disease. 


*Cox, Usal M. 


Mar. 


29, 


'64. 


Wounded slightly June 19, '64. 


Davis John 


Mar. 


28, 


"64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


*Danner, John M. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


*Davis, John 


Sept. 


2, 


'64. 


Transf. from 24th N. Y. Indep. Bat- 
tery, Feb. 4, '65. 


Dehne, Fritz 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


Discharged Aug. 26, '64. Expiration 
of service. 


*Deckers, Andrew 


Mar. 


5, 


'64. 


Wounded May 12, '64. 


*Dersch, John 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


R. 


Devany, .Fohn 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Deserted July 9. "62. 


l)iel)old, Andrew 


Sept. 


10, 


'61. 


Deserted Sept. 23, '61. 


*Dingman, Sylvester 


Sept. 


6, 


'64. 


Transf. from 24th N. Y. Indep. Bat- 
tery. 


*Doherty, Thos. 


Mar. 


26, 


'64. 




*Doremus, Francis M. 


Oct. 


29, 


'61. 


R. 


Doremus, Wm. H. 


Oct. 


8, 


'61. 


Deserted June 17, '62. Not on M. 0. 

roll. 
R. 


*Doughty, John 


Oct. 


1, 


'63. 


*Douglass, Jas. 


Oct. 


5, 


'64. 




Douglass, Chas. 


Mar. 


22 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


Dubbert, Fred. 


Oct. 


26, 


'61. 


Deserted June 9, "62. 


*Duerer, Henry 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


Ebell, Edward 


Feb. 


26, 


'64. 


Wounded Sept. 30, '64. Died Oct. 

6, '64. 
Deserted Sept. '62. 


Ellis, Wm. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Everwahn, Emil 


June 


20, 


'62. 


R. Deserted Mar. 24, '64. 


Farrington, Chas. W. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Deserted :May 25. '62. 


Ferster, John 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


Discharged from hosp., cause and 
date unknown. 


Fessenden, Asa D. 


Aug. 


30, 


'64. 


Discharged Apr. 28. '65. 



312 



Names. 



*Fessenden, Jas. B. 
Fitzmaurice, Henry 
*Fogarty, Michael 
Foster, thas. 
Foster, Samuel 

Francis, Geo. R. 
Frank, Louis 

Freundle, .Jacob 

*Frey, Joseph 

*Fuller, Decatur 

Funk, Simon 
*Gaffney, Thos. 
*Garlanfl, Brian 

Garretson, Alonzo 

*Gerbe, Henry 
Getz, Joseph 
*Gibbons, Francis 
Gilbert, Lewis 
*Glasser, Andrew 
Gordon, Geo. H. 
*Graham, Alex 
*Graham, Hus:h F. 
Green, Anderson 
Green, John 
Grisel, Joseph 
*Griffin, Albert 

*Griffin, Thos. S. 

Griffin, Wm. 
*Grithman, John 
Hall, Thorn 
Hamilton, Wm. H. 

*Harris, Chas. H. 
Harris, Henry A. 
*Hayden, Alfred A 
*Hayden, Wm. H. 
*Heasley, Thos. 



Heilman, Peter 
Herbert, Philip 
Herr, Franklin L. 

Hewlett, Nathan 



Mustered 
INTO Service. 



Aug. 2, 
Mar. 28, 
Oct. 1, 
April 30, 
Aug. 27, 

Mar. 15, 
Oct. 1, 

Oct. 23, 

Oct. 1, 

Mar. 9, 

June 14, 
Mar. 31, 



'64. 
'64. 
'61. 
'63. 
'61. 

'64. 
'61. 

'61. 

'61. 

'64. 

'64. 
'64. 



Dec. 17, '63. 



Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Aug. 


27-, 


'61. 


April 


6, 


'64. 


Oct. 


9 


'61. 


Oct. 


29, 


'61. 


Mar. 


22, 


'64. 


Feb. 


29, 


'64. 


Feb. 


27, 


'64. 


Apri 


s. 


'63. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Apri 


16, 


'63. 


Oct. 


y, 


'61. 


May 


4, 


'64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


June 


27, 


'62. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Mar. 


12, 


'64. 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Feb. 


26, 


'64. 


Feb. 


26, 


'64 


Oct. 


16, 


'61 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61 


Feb. 


29, 


'64. 



Remarks. 



Oct. 1. '61. 



Deserted. Never reported for duty. 
R. Wounded slightly Aug. 7, '64. 
Deserted Aug. 31, '63. 
R. Discharged May 2, '64 to accept 

2d Lieut, in 4th N. Y. H. A. 
Deserted April 2, '64. 
Prom. Act. Serg't Jan. 5, '63. Dis- 
charged Sept. 30, '64. 
Died. Heart disease at Falmouth, 

Va., Dec. 6, '62. 
R. Prom. Corp'l Nov. 1, '6;3. Serg't 

April 2, '62. 
Prom. Corp'l Jan. 1, '65. Wounded 

Mar. 29, '65 and Apr. 2, '65. 
Died Jan. 15, '65. 
Wounded July 5, '64. 
R. Transf. to Battery L., Aug. 6. '62. 

Taken prisoner Aug. 9, '62. 
Prom. 2d Lieut, from Private 165th 

N. Y. v.. May 3, '64, (See Com. Off.) 
R. Wounded July 7, '64. 
Deserted Sept. 22, '61. 

iDied Mar. 30, '63. 
R. 
Deserted. Never reported for duty. 



R. Deserted Jan. 19, '64. 

R. Deserted Apr. 1, '64. 

Desei-ted Aug. 31, '63. 

R. Prom. Corp'l Sept. 18, '63. Serg't 

Nov. 13, '64. 
Prom. Corp'l Jan. 1, '65. Wounded 
! Mar. 25 and Apr. 2, '65, T. G. Sutton. 
IDied Aug 27, '63. 
JR. 

1 Deserted May 29, '62. 
Prom. 2d Lieut. Resigned Jan. 11, 

'62, (See Com. Off.) 

Deserted June 25, '62. 

R. Prom. Corp'l, '61 Serg't, 1st Serg't 
Oct.8, '62, 2d Lieut. '62, (See Com. 
Off.) 

Deserted June 19, '62. 

Discharged. Hernia. May 26, '62. 

Taken prisoner May, '(54. Exchanged 
Dec. '64. Not on M. 0. roll. 

Deserted Se]>t, 6, '62. 



APPENDIX. 



3^3 



Names. 



Mustered 
INTO Service. 



*Hubhard, Taylor 
Hodsres, .John 
*Hotfinaii, Fred. 
Hoffman, John 
*Holcomb, Russell 
*Ho\vard, Wm. .1. 
Hubble, <Teo. 
*Hu her, .Joseph 
*Hlerd, Dennis 
Jacobs, Peter 
Jacques, Chas. 

Janoschofsky, H. 
Johnson, Samuel 
*Johnson, Wm. J. 
*Johnston, I). 8., Jr. 
Johnston, D. S., Sr. 
*Johnston, J. J. 

Johnston, Wm. E. 

*Jones, Thomas 
*Kasemeyer, H. A. 
*Kaufman, John 

*Keene, John 
Kelly, John 

Kiernan, John 
*Kiernan, Patrick 

Kierstead, Jos. 
Kimmeler, Peter 
Kliegel, Benj. 



*Klinger, Pins 
Koch, Simon 
Koelling, Wm. 
*Kohler, John 
*Konstanzer. Konrad 
Kraft, Joseph 
*Krouse, Edward 
Leich, John J. 

Lester, John D. 
Lincoln, Chas. R. 

*Ludwig, Carl 
*Ludwig, Wm. 

Link, Gottfreid 
*Mack, John G. 



Sept. 
Oct. 
Feb. 
Oct. 
July 23, 
Oct. 16 
Oct. 1 
Mar. 21 
Oct. 1 
Oct. 16, 
Mar. 26 



April 19 
Oct. 1 
Mar. 15 
Oct. 9 
Oct. 23 
Oct. 9 

Oct. 9, 

Aug. 16 
Oct. 23 
Aug. 27 

April 6, 
April 11 

Oct. 1 
Oct. 16 

Oct. 1 
Oct. 1 
Oct. 1 



April 12 
Nov. 26 
June 20 
Mar. 26 
June 27 
Oct. 1 
Mar. 10 
Oct. 2 



'6i. 
'61. 
'64. 
'61. 
'64. 
'61. 
'61. 
'64. 
'61. 
'61. 
'64. 

'63. 
'61. 
'64. 
'61. 
'61. 
'61. 

'61. 

'64. 
'61. 
'61. 

'64. 
'64. 

'61. 
'61. 

'61. 
'61. 
'61. 



'64. 
'61. 
'62. 
'64. 
'62. 
'61. 
'64. 
'61. 



Feb. 25, '64. 



Remarks. 



Oct. 
Oct. 



Oct. 
Oct. 



1, '61. 

1, '61. 

1, '61. 

1, '61. 



Died. Chronic diarrhoea, Jan. o, '63 

Deserted June 19, '62. 

R. 

Deserted May 29, '62. 

R. Wounded Aug. 30, '62. 

Deserted May 29, '62. 

Supposed to have died Aug. 1, '64 

from wounds June 12, '64. 
R. Deserted Mar. 14, '64. 
Deserted May 29. '62. 

Taken prisoner Oct. 31, '63. 
Discharged, Rheumatism, May 30, '62 
Prom. Corp'l Oct, 9 '61, 1st Serg't 

Jan. 5, '63 2d Lieut., (See Com. Off.) 
Prom. Corp'l Nov., 1861. Died. 

Chronic diar., Aug. 28, '63. 

R. Wounded Sept. 30, '64. 
R. Prom. Corp'l Oct., '61, Serg't Jan. 
1, '62, Q. M. Serg't Jan. 1, '65. 

Deserted '64. Never reported for 
duty. 

Deserted April 3, '63. 

R. Prom. Corp'l Nov. 18, '64. Wound- 
ed Sept. 30, '64. Mar. . 25, '65. 

Died, Chronic diar., Dec. 13, '62. 

Died, Chronic diar., Dec. 30, '62. 

Prom. Corp'l Nov., '61. Taken pris- 

j oner, exchanged and deserted. 

j Not on M. 0. roll. 

Deserted June 25, '62. 
Deserted Mar. 29, '63. 

R. 

Deserted July 9, '62. 

Discharged Sept. 9, '64. E.x'piration 

of service. 
Discharged, Disability, Dec. 16, '64. 
Appointed 2d Lieut. Resigned May 

31, '64. (See Com. Off.) 
R. Wounded June 22, '64. 
R. Wounded May 12, '64. Prom. 

Corp'l Jan. 1, '65. 
Discharged, Disability, Feb. 13, '63. 
R. Prom. Corp'l April 30, '64. 



314 



APPENDIX. 



Names. 


Mustered 
INTO Service. 


Remark.-^. 


Mahony, Michael 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged, Disability, May 30, '62. 


*Markland, Wm. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


R. Wounded Nov. 16, '63, June 18, '64. 


Marshall, Thos. 


Aug. 


31, 


'61. 


Deserted Sept. 22, '61. 


*Mattern. Jacob 


May 


^9, 


'64. 




Mcf.'an, Edward 


Mar. 


17, 


'64. 


Deserted April 2, '64. 


Meehan, John 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged, Disability, Aug. 29, '63. 


Mellen, Geo. W. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Deserted June 17, '62. 


*Melsom, John 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


*Merithew, S. R. 


Mar. 


29, 


'64. 




*Mesaros, Joseph 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


Meyer, Conrad 


Apri] 


6, 


'64. 


Wounded June 19, '64. Deserted 
Nov. 12, '64 from Hosj). 


Meyer, Joseph 


Aprii 


7, 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


Miller, Chas. H. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. Q. M. Serg't. Discharged, Dis- 
ability, Feb. 25, '65. 


*Miller, Louis 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. Prom. Corp'l April 1, '64. 


Molony, Daniel 


Oct. 


9. 


'61. 


Discharged Dec. 12, '63. 


*Morton, Simcoe 


Sept. 


29, 


'64. 


True name, P. S. M. Munro. 


*Mosser, John N. 


Oct. 


2 


'61. 


R. 


MuUer, John Jacob 


June 


25! 


'62. 


R. Wounded June IS, '64, Disch., 
Disability, Feb. 25, '65. 


Muldoon, John 


Oct. 


IG, 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62. 


Murray, Thos. 


Nov. 


6, 


'61. 


Deserted Nov. 30, '61. 


*Xau, Michael 


Oct. 


26, 


'61. 


R. 


*Nestman, Geo. 


June 


20. 


'62. 


R. 


Nulty, Michael 


Aitri 


20, 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


*0'Brien, Daniel 


Mar. 


30, 


'64. 




O'Brien, Dennis 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Captured Aug. 30, '62. Disch. from 
Hosp. Feb. 24, '63. 


Osborn, Geo. C. 


Mar. 


9, 


'64. 


Discharged, Disability, May 8, '65. 


*Osvvald. Joseph 


Nov. 


2(5, 


'61. 


R. 


*Paar, Stephen F. 


Feb. 


16, 


'64. 


Wounded June 7, '64. 


*Paiiie, Pjzra 


Feb. 


25, 


'64. 




Palfrey, Frank 


Apri 


6, 


'64. 


Wounded June 3, '64. lYnd in Hosp. 
June 5, '(54. 


Palmer, Samuel 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged Sept. 30, '64. Expiration 
of service. 


Parir, John 0. 


Oct. 


2, 


'61. 


Discharged Jan. 31, '63. 


Pearsall, John 


Oct. 


l! 


'CI. 


Deserted May 29 '62. 


Pettit, David 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Disch. Oct. 7, '64. P].Kp. of service. 


*Pifer, Jacob N. 


Mar. 


12, 


'64. 


Prom. Corp'l April 30, '64. Wounded 
June 19, '()4. 


*Quigley, John 


Feb. 


15, 


'64. 


[niured Sei)t. 9, '64 by fall of a tree. 


*Quis, John A. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R/Prom. Corp'l April 30, '64. 


*Ratcliire, Henry 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. Wounded Aug. 2, '62. 


Kavvolle, Wm. C. 


Oct. 


26, 


'61. 


2d Lieut. Oct. 26, '61, (See Com. Off.) 


Read, .lames 


Apri 


12, 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


*Reed, John 


Feb. 


27, 


'64. 




*Reim, John 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


Reinheimer, Daniel 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged, Hernia, June 10, '62. 


Rierson, Stephen J. 


Oct. 


2 


'(il. 


Deserted May 30, '(52. 


*Rierson, Wm. J. 


Oct. 


T, 


'61. 


R. Prom. Corp'l Feb., '62. Wounded 
Mar. 25, '65. 



APPENDIX. 



315 



Names. 


Mustered 
INTO Service. 


Rem.\rks. 


Richards, Geo. 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Discharged Sei)t. 30, '64. Expiration 
of service. 


*Riiichel. Geo. 


Aug. 


27 


'61. 


R. 


Riniker, Frederick 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Died, Chronic Diar., Sept. 5, '63. 


Robinson, Chris. D. 


Aug. 


'27 


'61. 


Discharged May 23, '62. 


Robinson, Thos. L. 


Oct. 


] 


'61. 


Ca])tain Oct. 1, '61. Dismissed May 
23, '62, (See Com. Off.) 


*Roemer, Jacob 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


1st Lieut. Prom. Captain May 23, '62, 
(See Com. Off.) 


*Ross, Leander 


Sept 


8 


'64. 




*Ross bach, Valentine 


Oct. 


9 


'61. 


R. Prom. Corp'l Serg't Oct. 17, '63. 


Roth, Geo. 


Nov. 


6 


'61 


R. Prisoner of war May, '64. Not 
on M. 0. roll. 


Schaefer, Peter A. 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Discharged, Disability. Mar. 10, '62. 


*Schafer, Nicholas 


July 


12 


'64. 




Schultz, James J. 


Oct. 


26 


'61. 


Prom. Corp'l Nov. 1, '61, Disch, 
Disab., April 27, '63. 


♦Schumacher, Fred. 


Aug. 


27 


'61. 


R. Bugler from first enlistment. 


Scoutan, Jerry 


Oct. 


2 


'61. 


Deserted July 27, '62. 


♦Shannon, J as. 


Mar. 


3, 


'64. 




*Shaw, Adelbert A. 


Mar. 


15, 


'64. 




♦Simpson, Joseph 


Mar. 


18, 


'64. 




Smith, Chas. 


Mar. 


24, 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


♦Smith, Douglass 


Feb. 


26, 


'64. 




Smith. Epenetus 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62. 


Smith, John 


Aug. 


28 


'61. 


Deserted Sept. 22, '62. 


♦Sparrow, John W. 


Feb. 


9, 


'64. 




*S|)rine;, Frank 


Mar. 


12, 


'64. 




♦Sproir, Wm. J. 


Mar. 


18, 


'64. 




♦Sprong, Jas. D. 


Oct. 


29 


'61. 




Stamford, Wm. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged Sept. 30, '64. Expiration 
of service. 


Standish, H. J. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


1st Lieut, (See Com. Off.) 


♦Stanley, Geo. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


R. 


Stapleton, Nicholas 


Sept 


6, 


'61. 


Deserted Sept. 22. '61. 


♦Starkins, John H. 


Sept 


6 


'61. 


R. Prom. Corp'l '62, Serg't Oct., '68, 
1st Serg't Jan. 1, '65. 


Starkins, Joseph 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62, Joined Navy, 
Charge of Desertion removed. 


♦Starkins, Sam. S. 


Feb. 


27, 


'64. 


Wounded July 11, '64. 


♦Stauder, Geo. 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


R. 


Steinbrecher, John 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Deserted June 25, '62. 


♦Steinbrook, Wm. 


Mar. 


18 


'64. 




Stern, Henry 


Oct. 


29 


'61. 


Discharged, Disability, June 10, '62. 


♦Sternberg, Casper 


Oct. 


1, 


'61 


R. Bugler from Nov.. '62. 


Sternberg, Jurgon 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Discharged Sept. 30, '64. Expiration 
of service. 


Story, Alex 


Apr. 


6 


'64. 


Deserted. Never reported for duty. 


Strickland, Henry 


Oct. 


16 


'61. 


Deserted Sejit. 6, '62. 


Sturtevant, Lewis 


Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Deserted May 29, '62. 


♦Sutorius, Jacob 


Oct. 


] 


'61. 


R. 


♦Tacey. Joseph 
Teme,' John J. 


Apri 


2 


'64. 




Oct. 


1 


'61. 


Disch. Aug, 26. Exp. of service. 



3i6 



APPENDIX. 



Names. 



*Townsend, Albert 

Troy, John 

Truck, Joseph 

Van Nostrand, J'ome 

*Yoe^t, Jurson 
*Wallace, Thos. 
Weisgaber, Geo. 
^Wellington, Wm. 
Welsh, Lawrence 
Wenzler, Leopold 
Werner, Fred. 
*WetzeI, Peter 
*Wheeler, Ferd. A. 
White, Patrick 
*White, Thos. 
Wiedemann, Chas. J. 
*Weidemann, Chris. 
Wiessner, Valentine 
Wilhelm, John 
*Williams, Rodney 
*Wilson, Jas. 
Winter, John A. 
Wirth, Adam 

Woener, John J. 
Woodrow, John 
Zuberbier, Otto 
*Zuger, Joseph 
*Durfee, Geo. H. 



Mustered 
INTO Service. 



Aug. 27, '61. 



Sept. 


9, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Sept. 


23, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Feb. 


29, 


'64. 


Feb. 


26, 


'64. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Feb. 


27, 


"64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


May 


9, 


'64. 


Mar. 


12, 


'64. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


9, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


July 


28, 


'64. 


Mar. 


14, 


'm. 


Aug. 


27, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


2, 


'62. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Oct. 


1, 


'61. 


Oct. 


16, 


'61. 


Aug. 


29, 


'63. 



Remarks. 



R. Wounded Aug. 30. '62. Prom. 

Corp'l Nov. 1, '62, Serg't Nov. 13, '64. 
Deserted Sept. 22, '61. 
Deserted June 13, '62. 
Prom. Serg't Oct. 1, '61, 2d Lieut. May 

23, '62, (See Com. Off.) 
R. Wounded Aug. 12, 64. 
R. 

Deserted April 8. '64. 
Farrier Jan. 1, '65. 
Deserted Sept. 6, '62. 
Died, Chronic Diar., Sept. 1, '64. 
Died, Typhoid fever, Dec. 12, '63. 
R. 

Deserted March 26, '64. 

R. 

Died, Heart disease, Nov. 22, '62. 

R. 

Deserted June 25, '62 and Mav 26, '64. 

Transf. to V. R. C. Not on M. O. roll. 



Discharged, Disability. Mar. 4, '63. 
Prom. Corp'l '61, Serg't '62. Wounded 

Aug. 30, '62. Died Se])t. 25, '(52. 
Discharged, Disaliility, May 26, '62. 
Deserted May 29, '62. 
Deserted Oct. 11, '62. 
R. Wounded severely, July 12, '64. 
Joined battery Oct. 23, '64. Received 

com. 2d Lieut. Not mustered. 



RHCAPITULATION. 



The battery left Flushing, Dec. 1, 1861 with 155 

Number of deserters prior to Dec. 1, 1861 . . 8 

Total enlisted prior to Dec. 1, 1801 163 

Number of recruits received subsequent to Dec. 1, 1861 . . . 108 

Total number recorded on the rolls 271 

Number mustered out per M. 0. roll June 21, 1865 129 

Number discharged prior to June 21, 1865 47 

Number of deaths from wounds or disease 19 

Number of deserters jtrior to June 21, 1865 69 

Number of men not accounted for on M. ( ). roll 6 

Detail from 14 N. Y. H. A. borne on battery roll 1 

Total membership 271 

Horses lost in action or died of wounds afterwards 101 

Horses died of fatigue and various diseases 64 

Horses turned over to the Government at various dates.. . 230 

Total number of horses drawn from the government . 395 

Rounds fired of canister, shrapnel, fuse and percussion 

shell, and solid shot 9,780 

Total weight of iron, lead and powder at 11 lbs. per shot 107,580 

No. of miles traveled on foot, horse, rail and boat 18,758 



H 122 80 1 



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